A Fife man who subjected young girls to sexual abuse spanning more than a decade was jailed for nine years at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Peter Jack (37), who lived in Buckhaven, had been found guilty of sexually molesting girls between 1991 and 2003 at addresses in Fife.
Jack had claimed his victims had made up the allegations against him but a jury dismissed those suggestions and convicted him of seven charges at the High Court in Perth in April.
Sentencing Jack, Lord Doherty told him, “You abused the trust and innocence of children for your own gratification, leaving them-as young women-to come to terms with what had happened to them.
“They also had to undergo the trauma of giving evidence in court.”
The nine-year jail term is unlikely to bring much closure to the relatives or friends of the victims involved, many of whom were in court to see Jack jailed.
When he was convicted, several of his victims wept and mouthed the words “thank you” to jury members after the verdict was passed.
One anguished victim’s relative, who did not wish to be named, has said the girls subjected to the sex attacks had gone through “absolute hell”, adding that people had not initially believed their allegations.
“The relief in court when he was found guilty was euphoria,” the relative added. “The victims are just glad that justice was done and hope that people who doubted them now know the truth.
“The only good thing to come out of this is that vulnerable young people out there are now protected from this man. To me, they should just throw away the key.”
Jack was found guilty of abusing one young girl at a number of addresses in Fife.
The court previously heard how he put his hand up her nightdress and persuaded her to touch him.
He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting another girl with intent to rape her on one occasion, while repeatedly using lewd practices on her over a five-year period.
Jack, who had no previous convictions, was found guilty of three charges of sexual assault against a third girl between August 1993 and December 1998.
A fourth victim was subjected to several sex attacks between July 2002 and July 2003 in Methil.
Jack had initially faced 14 charges, but the Crown dropped seven during the trial.