A “predatory” paedophile who groomed two young schoolgirls for years before raping them has been jailed for nine years.
Harry Canning, 80, is likely to die in jail as a result of what was described as “a de facto life sentence.”
Judge Lord Weir told him he had subjected two “vulnerable young girls” to “a deplorable course of sexual abuse”.
He said: “You were responsible for a prolonged period of behaviour which was predatory, manipulative, and quite disgraceful.”
Canning appeared for sentence at the High Court in Stirling by video link from prison, after a jury convicted him of seven charges of sexual abuse of the girls, including six charges of rape.
‘De facto life sentence’
The offences took place over “a prolonged period” at Canning’s home in Leven, Fife, ending in 2016.
The court heard the girls went to the police three years later, after seeing newspaper reports of Canning’s conviction for sexual offences against other girls, for which he was jailed for three years in May 2019.
He now needs a carer in prison to see to his needs twice a day and is confined to a wheelchair.
Ronnie Renucci, QC, defending, said: “Having regard to his age and his level of infirmity it is highly likely that any sentence could well be a de facto life sentence.
“He is not in good health and within the prison he now requires the assistance of carers.
“He does now appreciate the harm his actions will have caused to the complainers and regrets that, with hindsight.”
Canning bowed his head as sentence was passed.
In addition to the jail term, he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period.
Escalating abuse
Canning’s trial, in October, heard he had won the trust of the girls by taking them to circuses and car boot sales and giving them presents like mobile phones.
However his real aim was to win the trust of the “vulnerable and confused” youngsters, from troubled families, so he could induce them to have sex with him.
He had a trampoline and a pond in his garden and games consoles and computers in his living room to attract local children, the jury was told.
One of the women, now aged 22, said: “It was like going to your grandad’s.
“I always felt able to speak to him and I felt safe.”
The jury unanimously found him guilty of raping both victims multiple times when they were just 12, when each was 13 to 15, and when they were 16 and 17.
The women said he began sexually abusing them when they were just 10 years old, after they had got dirty playing in his garden pond.
He ran a bath for them and when they were naked in the water he made lewd comments about their bodies and abused them.
Both said he went on to pay them for a variety of sexual acts, including baring their themselves in front of a video camera linked to an online site, escalating to having sex with them.
Police praise complainers’ courage
Detective Constable Alastair Gibson said: “Harry Canning subjected two vulnerable females to horrendous sexual abuse over a number of years.
“Canning is a predator who has refused to admit his guilt and shown no remorse for his actions.
“I would like to commend the victims for their courage throughout this investigation and trial.
“They finally have justice and I hope that this will help them moving forward”.
Anyone with information on sexual crime can contact Police Scotland on 101 or report anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
