Jailed: Pervert who abused Edinburgh schoolgirl while her mum was battling cancer

A pervert who sexually assaulted a schoolgirl while her mother was being treated for cancer has been jailed.

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Simon White targeted the 13-year-old after he had been asked to look after the child as her mother received treatment.

White, 51, molested the girl on several occasions between 2004 and 2005 while pretending to give her cuddles.

Jailed: Pervert Simon White

The paedophile also carried out a horrific attack on the youngster by performing a sex act onto her back as he stood behind her.

The victim was left too scared to tell anyone about the abuse at the time but eventually confided in her husband 10 years later.

Edinburgh child abuse images pervert told detectives he was 'glad' to be caught

White pleaded guilty to using lewd and libidinous practices towards the girl when he appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court earlier this year and he returned to the dock for sentencing.

Solicitor Peter Barr, defending, said his client “feels thoroughly ashamed at his behaviour” and had made “full and frank admissions” to the police following his arrest.

Sheriff Nigel Ross told White he had carried out “long term grooming” on the victim and he had “planned for her to stay over” at his house to continue the sexual abuse.

The sheriff said: “You have pled guilty to using lewd and libidinous practices and behaviour towards a young girl.

“The aggravating factors are serious in this case. The first is the girl was aged between 13 and 14 and the second is you were in a position of trust.

“She was trapped in your house, she had nowhere to turn and no-one to help. You were fondling her to the point of ejaculating on her which must have been a horrifying experience for her.

“In my view only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”

White, of Wheatfield Place, Edinburgh, was jailed for 12 months and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.

Previously the court was told White was a friend of the family and had been asked to look after the 13-year-old while the mother attended hospital appointments for cancer treatment.

Prosecutor Anna Chisholm said White became “over familiar” with the child and would often cuddle her and walk around her home wearing only his underwear.

He would tell the girl she was “beautiful” and that “any boyfriend would be lucky to have her” which made the child feel “uncomfortable”.

White also fondled the girl’s breasts while cuddling her and on one occasion at his flat he plied the girl with alcohol before “stripping down to his boxer shorts” while standing behind her.

The court heard he then “began to rub his penis over her back” and “cupped her breasts” with his hands.

Ms Chisholm added: “The accused continued to grind himself on the complainer’s back and his penis was erect.”

He then performed a solo sex act onto the child’s back while telling her she was “beautiful and she should not forget it” in an ordeal that lasted 20 minutes.

White later told the girl not to tell anyone what happened or she would “get into trouble”.

The abuse subsequently came to light in 2014 after the victim had married and told her husband what had happened to her as a child.

White was eventually traced and arrested last year and admitted the sex attacks during a police interview.

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