CHILD ABUSE OAP IS JAILED

Justice at last for two victims

A retired engineer has been locked up for the “corrupting” abuse of two young children.

John McCulloch was jailed for six and a half years after he preyed on the boy and girl in the 1970s and ‘80s.

His victims finally got justice when one of them went to police after the publicity of other sex cases brought back memories of her ordeal.

It resulted in McCulloch (69) appearing in the dock at the High Court in Glasgow.

The OAP, of Kinnen Dell in Westfield, admitted five abuse charges including indecent assault.

Lord Beckett told McCulloch he was guilty of “corrupting conduct” that had caused “profound damage”.

The judge said the victims had described how they suffered in “articulate and measured statements” provided to the court.

the judge went on: “such is the gravity, there is no alternative to a substantial sentence of imprisonment.”

McCulloch began abusing the young boy when he was five in the late 1970s. the attacks continued and McCulloch also molested a young girl, who was aged around seven when it began.

the pensioner claimed he would“teach”her about her body and showed her anatomy textbooks.

McCulloch warned her not to tell anyone, claiming other people would be “prudish”.

the victim was preyed upon – almost daily – until she was 16. In the years that followed, she was “increasingly troubled”by what had happened.

the court heard this was “heightened”when McCulloch wrote her a “letter of apology”.

But it was only in 2015 – following publicity about other sex abuse cases – that she went to the police after“thinking about her own experiences”.

the other victim – who had only told his wife of his ordeal – was later traced and also revealed what had happened.

Ewen Roy, defending, said McCulloch had recently been assaulted while on remand in jail having been punched in the face.