Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Victim speaks out as rapist is found guilty
A RAPIST who carried out a se r ies of sic k sex acts on vulnerable teenagers in Dundee is finally facing jail.
John Alfred Perkinton, 48, was convicted at the High Court in Livingston of one charge of rape and three charges of lewd and libidinous practices and behaviour.
He was found guilty of making sexual comments and carrying out a sex act on a boy between May 1996 and May 1997 in both the city’s West End and an unknown wooded area in Dundee.
He was also convicted of touching a girl on the body and attempting to kiss her between January 1998 and January 1999 at an address in the West End.
He was further convicted of assaulting and raping a girl while she was intoxicated with alcohol and drugs at a location in Dundee between July 1999 and July 2000.
One charge of l ewd and libidinous practices and behaviour, one charge of assault to injury and permanent disfigurement and one charge of assault to injury were found not proven.
One of Perkinton’s victims, who cannot be named to protect her identity, said he preyed on vulnerable children across the city living in care.
She said: “He managed to do it under the nose of social work.
“He picked us all up from outside the children’s homes. I met him when I was 13. It’s had a massive negative effect on my life. It’s ruined my life and my kids’ lives. He has ruined lives for his own satisfaction.”
The woman met Perkinton when he ran a shop.
She said: “All the girls used to go into his shop.”
She added Perkinton had supplied drugs and alcohol to her until she was unable to give consent.
Speaking about the conviction, she said: “For him to be in prison – I don’t think it’s sunk in.
“I hope that when he gets sentenced they take into account that he was found guilty but pleaded not guilty.”
The woman said she believes there may be other victims of Perkinton out there and urged them to come forward.
She said: “I want the other victims to come forward and know that they will be believed.”
“It doesn’t matter if they are drug addicts, maybe lost their kids, maybe in a bad place – they need closure and they need justice.”
Sentence was deferred until May 31 for reports.