Angus man jailed for rape and abuse of girls aged between five and 13

A Montrose man who raped and abused three young girls has been jailed for eight years.

Derrick Heeney preyed on his victims, which included by claiming to help one with a broken radio.

The 62 year-old, who latterly ran an arts store, was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.

Heeney had previously been convicted at a trial in Edinburgh of six charges including raping two girls and sexually abusing the other.

The crimes occurred in Dundee and Forfar between 1983 and 1996.

The girls were aged between five and 13 when the attacks began.

Heeney had denied the allegations.

Lord Mulholland told him: “Your conduct was despicable and you will now pay a heavy price.”

The judge said one victim had been “lured to a dingy flat” before being attacked.

Jurors previously heard how he told one of the rape victims that if she got pregnant, she was to claim the father was someone else.

Wendy Hay, defending, said: “He accepts that the offences are serious and the inevitable disposal (of prison) that will follow.”