The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
‘Monstrous’ coach who abused girls jailed
A“Jekyll and Hyde” athletics coach who raped one girl and indecently assaulted four others has been jailed for eight years.
Eric Simpson, 73, had denied a string of offences but was found guilty of seven crimes against children and young women over nearly 18 years.
The 73-year-old was sentenced at the High Court in Paisley yesterday.
Former teacher Simpson had spent decades volunteering as a coach in Dundee and Fife.
Judge Lord Arthurson said: “It appears to me that you are very much a Jekyll and Hyde character.
“Your crimes against your victims in this case are nothing short of monstrous.”
The father of three, grandfather and greatgrandfather was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
At a previous hearing, the court heard that Simpson, of St Kilda Crescent, Kirkcaldy, played ’60s pop hit Young Girl to his victims. One woman, now 44, said that if she now heard the song it was “horrible”.
She said as a 13-year-old she became uncomfortable when the coach made reference to sexual matters.
He went on to massage her with baby oil after telling her to undress but his fingers began going near her private parts. She said: “I was frozen. I was too scared to do anything.”
Another woman said she heard Simpson saying it was very difficult working with young girls when they all fancied him.
She was also molested by him during massages and he went on to rape her.
The offences came to light when one of Simpson’s victims saw a recent photograph of him in a coaching role, posing with a young girl. She was concerned others could be at risk so contacted police.
Simpson was convicted of using indecent behaviour towards his first victim on various occasions between April 1981 and April 1984 in Kirkcaldy and Burntisland.
He was also found guilty of raping her on various occasions between April 1982 and April 1984 in Kirkcaldy, Burntisland and at a Fife school.
Simpson made sexual comments and massaged a second girl between November 1986 and November 1989, beginning when she was 13, in Kirkcaldy. He also exposed himself and got her to carry out a sex act.
Between December 1988 and December 1999, he indecently assaulted a 17-year-old in Kirkcaldy.
He indecently assaulted another teenager between August 1992 and August 1993 on two occasions in Kirkcaldy.
His final offence happened between October 1997 and October 1999 at a school in Edinburgh when he indecently assaulted a female.
Defence counsel Krista Johnston told the court: “He has the shame of the conviction and it is a sad demise for a man who was previously loved and respected.”