Pensioner, 70, jailed for historic child sex abuse
A 70-YEAR-OLD MAN has been put behind bars for preying on young girls more than 30 years ago.
Keith Rowbary abused the girls while reading them a bedtime story between January 1984 and March 1993.
The pensioner was brought to justice after confiding his secret to a Christian counselling charity.
He carried out his first offence while a girl aged five was having a sleepover at his house in 1984.
Rowbary placed the girl on his lap to read her a bedtime story, before putting his hand on her private parts.
He sexually assaulted another girl, then aged six, twice between January and March 1993.
Around 10 years later, Rowbary visited his first victim at her home.
He told the then 16-year-old that he had “done terrible things” that were “preying” on his memory.
He later admitted that he had touched her when she was younger.
The pensioner disclosed his crimes to a Christian counselling charity after they advised him that their conversations were confidential.
But, due to a change in policy, the charity later took the decision to report the offence to police.
Both victims attended the police station to give statements before officers visited Rowbary’s home to place him under caution.
Rowbary appeared at Glasgow Sheriff Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to using lewd, indecent and libidinous practice and behaviour by placing his hand on the private parts of two victims aged five-years-old and six-years-old.
The court heard how one of his victims suffers from psychological trauma, panic attacks and flashbacks due to her experiences at the hands of the pensioner.
Rowbary’s defence agent told the court that his client is a “highly intelligent man” who has been “disarmingly frank” .
He also explained Rowbary had become excluded from his family as a result of the prosecution.
Sheriff Kelly told the pensioner, of Balmuildy Road in Bishopbriggs, he had abused his position of trust and sentenced him to four months in prison. He will be placed on the sex offenders register for seven years.