A Lewis pensioner has been convicted of three sex charges against young girls.
Norman Macdonald of 5-
Offences took place on a beach, on a peat road and elsewhere when Macdonald was in his thirties, the court heard.
Over a five year period, he targeted one of the girls. He would grab her hand and place it against his private parts, a witness told the court.
One incident occurred when Macdonald stripped naked and joined two girls swimming in the sea, the court heard.
Originally, Macdonald faced six charges but half were dropped during a three day trial at Stornoway Sheriff Court.
The 76-
Sheriff John Halley placed Macdonald on the sex offenders’ register.
The sheriff called for background reports and bailed the accused to June until sentencing.
Macdonald had insisted his accusers are waging a vendetta against him for some unknown reason.
He stressed he had never been with the girls at the beach named in court.
Addressing the jury, procurator fiscal David Teale said Macdonald’s behaviour was
“all to do with sexual power, sexual gratification -
The fiscal said Macdonald preyed on the girls when no adults were around and had invented a game to encourage one child to put her hand inside his boilersuit.
“She immediately touched bare skin,” because Macdonald had no clothes on underneath, he said.
Defence solicitor Katy Begg said her client believed the witnesses were colluding against Macdonald, as what they said in court “did not tie in.”
She highlighted the jury had heard claims Macdonald had often exposed himself to one girl yet the victim herself failed to mention that in court.
Ms Begg said several houses had a “good view” of the peat road where some incidents were said to have occurred. She also queried why the girl never stopped using the track in the future.
Neither did she seek help from her nearby friend when allegedly attacked at the beach, the lawyer added.
Islander convicted of sex offences against young girls
30 April 2015