Jail for man who sexually assaulted Midlothian schoolgirl, 14, at bus stop
The victim has been left traumatised by the attack which took place in February last year
A man who sexually assaulted a vulnerable schoolgirl as she waited on a bus has been jailed and had his name added to the sex offenders register.
Colin Small attacked the 14-year-old child at a bus stop after she had been sent home from school feeling unwell in Midlothian in February last year.
Small - known locally as Casper - touched the youngster’s intimate areas before telling her she was “enjoying it” and that she should just “let it happen”.
The 62-year-old was later caught after the brave schoolgirl identified her attacker through his distinctive fluorescent clothing.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told the victim had been left “hysterical” has suffered from suicidal feelings following the sickening lunchtime attack on her.
Small, from Mayfield, Midlothian, denied the allegations but was found guilty of sexually assaulting the schoolgirl by a jury following a three day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this month.
The jury also found Small guilty of sexually assaulting a second victim aged 12 by touching her on the thigh, lifting her skirt up exposing her underwear and making sexual comments to her.
Following the jury’s guilty verdicts Small was remanded in custody by Sheriff Colm Dempsey and he was ordered back to court for sentencing on Tuesday.
Sheriff Dempsey told Small the attack on the schoolgirl has left “an indelible mark” on her and aggravating factors included the victims both being “vulnerable by reason of their age”.
Sheriff Dempsey said: “You were convicted by the unanimous verdicts of the jury in respect of two sexual offences against young girls.
“The second charge on the indictment involved an offence of a young girl who was unknown to you and was committed as she waited alone for the bus home.
“I take the view there is no alternative to a sentence of imprisonment.”
The sheriff jailed Small for 19 months, placed him on the sex offenders register for 10 years and issued non-harassment orders banning contact with his victims for five years.
The schoolgirl told the trial she was at a bus stop after being sent home from school due to illness at around 1.15pm on February 4 last year.
She said she saw Small approach her wearing a distinctive jacket with fluorescent hi-vis sleeves.
She said: “He didn’t say anything to me and no-one else was there.
“I smacked his hand away and I told him to f*** off but he just went lower.”
The child said the sex attack lasted around two minutes and she had attempted to push him off her around 10 times before he eventually stopped.
She added: “He just turned round and said ‘I was enjoying it and I should let it happen’.”
The court heard the child then contacted her mother by phone and the police were notified.
When asked by fiscal depute Corey Laouadi how she felt after the attack, the girl replied: “I wanted to kill myself. I still want to kill myself.”
The second victim gave her evidence by video interview and told the court Small had sexually assaulted her on two occasions on dates between October 2023 and September 2024.
She said the first incident took place when he pulled up her skirt exposing her tights and underwear and the second assault took place at a park when Small approached her and put his hand under her skirt.