Child rapist jailed after indecent images found on phone

A child rapist who abused children over more than three decades was jailed for 10 years yesterday after he was reported to police for having child abuse images on his phone.

Raymond Oldham was the subject of police inquiries years before after victims came forward but on one occasion a procurator fiscal decided not to proceed with the case and on another he was acquitted in court.

Oldham, 51, remained at liberty to perpetrate further abuse but when he showed acquaintances pictures on his phone, including indecent images of children, one of them contacted police sparking an extensive investigation dubbed Operation Croaker.

Oldham, of Peddie Street, Dundee, admitted committing six offences of indecent behaviour and rape between 1983 and 2016 against five boys and a girl in Musselburgh and Tranent in East Lothian, Dalkeith in Midlothian and in Cupar, Methil and Leven in Fife.

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You have been convicted on your own plea of a series of sexual offences against young children and in particular against young boys.”

Lord Boyd of Duncansby said: “All of the victims must have been traumatised by what has happened. You have an obvious and admitted sexual attraction to male children and teenagers.”

The judge said that the sex offender had no real empathy or understanding of the psychological impact his actions had had on his victims.

He ordered that Oldham be kept under supervision for a further six-years and told him he would be on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Raymond Oldham was jailed for sex crimes against children.