Predator jailed for nine years

A PREDA TOR who robbed three girls of their childhood after subjecting them to a catalogue of sexual abuse was jailed for nine years yesterday.

Calls of “yes” rang out from the public benches at the High Court in Edinburgh as Colin Brown was sentenced.

Brown, 43, formerly of Exchange Street, Dundee, was earlier convicted of raping two girls and molesting and trying to rape a third victim.

A judge told Brown that she was satisfied that he “presented a serious risk of harm to children”.

Lady Scott ordered that he be supervised for a further three years and warned that he can be returned to prison during that period if he breaches conditions of his release on licence.

The judge said that Brown’s first two victims, who were the youngest targets of his abuse, were “utterly defenceless” and the third, who was in her teens, had tried to fight back.

Lady Scott said: “Your victims have been left robbed of their childhood.”

The judge said Brown’s convictions showed a persistentcourseofconductbyhim over a period of about four years and the second victim had spoken of being raped “on numerous occasions”.

Brown had denied the offences but was found guilty by a jury at an earlier trial of indecent behaviour, attempted rape and rape.

Defence counsel Mark Stewart QC said Brown’s position remained consistent, but he accepted he had been convicted of serious offences.

PA. Nigella Lawson on the comic’s BBC chat show.