Predator Who Abused Girl at Property in Dundee While Babysitting Jailed for Five Years

Evening Telegraph
December 10, 2019

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/predator-who-abused-girl-at-property-in-dundee-while-babysitting-jailed-for-five-years/

A sexual predator who blamed his child victim after he subjected her to prolonged abuse was jailed for five years and three months.

Anthony Clark, 74, repeatedly preyed on the girl more than three decades ago at a house in Dundee.

A judge told the former Michelin tyre factory worker he had pleaded guilty to a sustained course of “disgusting sexual abuse” committed during a five-year period in the 1980s.

Lord Uist said: “Your abuse of her has had a serious and lasting impact over the past 30 years.

“Although you have admitted your guilt and thereby avoided your victim having to give evidence, you have blamed her for what happened. I regard that allegation as deplorable.”

Clark, formerly of Glenclova Terrace, Forfar, previously admitted two offences of indecent behaviour and indecent assault committed between September 1983 and September 1988.

The court heard that Clark was living in Dundee when he started babysitting the girl while her mother was out.

He began kissing the eight-year-old and touching her but his abusive behaviour escalated in seriousness.

He went on to assault the child and made her perform sex acts on him.

The court heard that the victim had originally disclosed the abuse she suffered from Clark to a priest in 1989 when she was a teenager.

The clergyman contacted a children’s charity and Clark was questioned by police, but denied any involvement.

But the victim decided to report him to police again in 2016. Police started a further inquiry and in August last year Clark was interviewed again after declining the services of a lawyer.

Mr Ferguson said: “In the course of that interview the accused made certain detailed admissions of sexual conduct towards the complainer but attempted to suggest that it was all at her instigation.

“He alleged that it was only through fear that he did not tell anyone about her instigating this conduct.”

Defence counsel Neil Beardmore said Clark was a first offender who now suffers poor health.

Mr Beardmore said Clark has “a tendency of minimise his responsibility and a tendency to blame the victim”.

But he added: “He does accept that what he did was wrong.”

Clark was placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.