Edinburgh OAP who sexually assaulted three children faces lengthy prison sentence

A pensioner is facing a lengthy jail sentence after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting three children - including girls aged just six and eight-years-old

John Sands, 78, attacked the youngest victim on various occasions over a six year period, starting when she was just six-years-old, by touching her on the body and genitals and attempting to induce her to touch his penis.

The OAP also assaulted a second girl when she was eight-years-old by touching her and placing her hand on his penis on various occasions at his home in Edinburgh between 1997 and 1999.

Sands also attacked a third girl, when she was just 14, by rubbing her leg and touching her between 1997 and 1999.

Facing prison: OAP pervert John Sands

He denied the allegations but was found guilty of four sexual offences against the girls following a four day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last week.

Sheriff John Mundy deferred sentence on the pensioner to March 9 for the preparation of social work reports. Sands was released on bail.

Sands was found guilty by a unanimous jury verdict of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards a 14-year-old girl by repeatedly seizing her by the leg, rubbing her leg, seizing her neck, pulling her towards him and touching her body and vagina over her clothing on various occasions between May 20, 1997 and May 19, 1999 at his home at 6 Spa Place, Edinburgh.

He was also found guilty by majority verdict of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards an eight-year-old girl by stroking her on the body, touching her and placing her hands on his t penis on various occasions between October 13, 1997 and October 12, 1999.

Sands was also found guilty by majority verdict of similar offences involving a six-year-old girl between August 2, 2011 and August 1, 2017.

The pensioner was also found guilty by a unanimous verdict of assaulting the same girl between August 2, 2015 and August 1, 2017.

The jury returned a not proven verdict to a further charge of indecently assaulting a woman who he believed to be asleep by rubbing her leg on an occasion between January 1, 1997 and December 31, 1999.

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