Predatory paedophile who groomed and abused girls jailed

A PREDATORY paedophile who groomed three young girls before abusing them is starting a three-and-a-half year prison sentence.

Kenneth Fox. Picture: Contributed

Kenneth Fox, 57, befriended his victims’ families and gained their trust before subjecting the girls, aged five, seven and 11, to depraved acts over a 12-year period.

Fox, of Gylemuir Road, Corstorphine, was sentenced at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday after being found guilty at an earlier trial. A great uncle of one of Fox’s victims, now aged 11, said outside court: “He’s a predator, an out-and-out predator.

“When I knew him, he seemed just a regular guy but he conned me – he conned us all. He’s poison and the only way to get rid of poison is to cut it out.”

Fox always maintained his innocence but was found guilty of sexually assaulting two of his victims and performing lewd acts and engaging in sexual activity with the other.

His youngest victim was just five when Fox subjected her to indecent behaviour at addresses in Kirkliston and Perth between February 2003 and 2008. Six years later, some time between February 2014 and February 2015, Fox performed a sex act in front of the same victim.

Another of Fox’s victims was just seven when he began to sexually assault her at the same Kirkliston house, from May 2012 to December 2013.

He sexually assaulted his third victim, then aged 11, at the Kirkliston address “on various occasions” between November 2014 and March 2015.

“He’s messed up these three young girls’ lives,” said the 59-year-old great uncle. “He could be out in 18 months doing whatever he wants but this is going to be a big part of their lives.

“She’s totally messed up and has mood swings. Kids are innocent, it’s up to us as adults to protect them.”

Sheriff Norman McFadyen said a custodial sentence was appropriate for the ordeal he put his victims through over many years.

Describing Fox as a “continuing threat to young girls”, Sheriff McFadyen sentenced him to 42 months in prison. The second part of his sentence will be served under licence in the community for an extended period of 30 months.

Fox was also made the subject of a sexual offences prevention order for eight years, prohibiting him from approaching children.

“You’ve been convicted of serious sexual offences against young girls over a long period of time,” said Sheriff McFadyen.

“You appear to have groomed those girls after coming into social contact with them one way or another. Those girls gave compelling evidence against you.”

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