A “reprehensible” Dundee businessman who molested a schoolgirl at a Perthshire caravan park has been jailed.
Alistair McCready was arrested at his workplace after investigators found his DNA inside his young victim’s pyjama bottoms.
The 56-year-old previously admitted sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl at Ballintuim caravan park in north-east Perthshire.
The distraught youngster pretended to be asleep as McCready molested her, Perth Sheriff Court heard.
She then sent a series of heartbreaking messages to her mother, asking to come home because “Alistair is being weird”.
This week, he was imprisoned and his solicitor said McCready’s company may need to be “wound up by others”.
Sentenced
McCready, of Calton Street in Coupar Angus, was brought back to court from custody to be sentenced, having been interviewed by social workers while on remand.
Defending, solicitor Billy Somerville asked the court to consider an alternative to prison for his client.
He said: “I’m not trying to minimise the events in any way.
“Fortunately, it did not go any further.
“It is clear he realises what he’s done and the effect it has had on the girl.
“He is someone who seems to be a lower risk of reoffending.”
But Sheriff William Wood jailed McCready for a year.
The sheriff said McCready’s victim would have trust difficulties and probably struggle to form relationships because of his actions.
He said: “You haven’t been to prison before, you’ve run a successful business.
“It seems to me a custodial sentence is uppermost in my mind.
“This conduct is so reprehensible, only a custodial sentence is appropriate.”
McCready was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade.
His sentence was backdated to September 1.
Company now in peril
McCready, formerly of Newburgh in Fife, is still listed as an active director of AM Lighting Ltd and has been involved for 22 years and a director since 2006.
Mr Somerville said: “With regard to his company, he is unsure if it will survive.
“If not, it will have to be wound up by others.”
The firm supplied lighting and sound equipment for events throughout Tayside and Fife.
The company was based at a unit in Dundee’s North Isla Street but a firm of a different name now operates there.
Victim had ‘tears in her eyes’
At a previous hearing, fiscal depute Marie Lyons said the youngster was one of a group of young girls who were staying at McCready’s caravan in July last year.
During the night, the girl got up to get a drink before going back to bed.
“After she lay back down, she felt the accused’s hand rub her back under her top.
“The accused then moved his hand down to her bottom and began rubbing her under her pyjama bottoms, while moving his hand between her legs.
“She did not say anything and kept still.
“She thinks the accused might have thought she was sleeping.”
Ms Lyons said: “She was upset and had tears in her eyes.”
Snapchat plea to mum
During the night, she sent a series of Snapchat messages to her mum, asking to be collected.
The girl told her: “I want to come home. I miss you and I can’t sleep.”
Another read: “Please can I come home?
“Alistair is being weird. He’s rubbing me and I don’t like it.”
The girl’s mother saw the messages when she woke later that morning and immediately drove to the caravan park, north of Blairgowrie.
She found her daughter “clearly distraught and upset”.
McCready was later seen “acting out of character” and sitting on his own outside the caravan.
He was heard to say: “I think I’ve done something to (the girl),” but would not elaborate.
Police turned up at the park and seized clothing as part of their investigation.
McCready’s DNA was found inside the girl’s pyjama bottoms.
McCready was later arrested at his workplace.
During his police interview, he told investigators he had a drinking problem.
He admitted sexual assault.
