A retired British Transport Police officer sexually abused a child for five years, starting when she was aged just nine.
Married Christopher Aldridge, 76, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court and pled guilty to two charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards the youngster.
The abuse began in the mid-2000s.
The town’s sheriff court heard that Aldridge – described as an “upstanding member of the community” – would play ‘tickle and chase’ games with his victim before pinning her down and touching her breasts and lower private parts.
Procurator fiscal depute Catherine Fraser said: “He abused her on multiple occasions in the same way until she was 14.”
Ms Fraser said the abuse happened “often” and that, after each incident, he apologised and promised not to touch her again.
Investigation
The court heard that Aldridge would tell the girl not to tell anyone about what happened because he would get in trouble.
Ms Fraser said on one occasion Aldridge used a coin to unlock a toilet door and pinned her to the floor as she struggled to get away.
The fiscal said that in 2012 Aldridge told a counsellor he had sexually abused the child. The counsellor contacted police.
An investigation was carried out but no further action was taken at this time as full details of the abuse were not disclosed.
The court heard that in 2021 the girl, now a woman in her 20s, provided a full statement to police after her memory was triggered.
The fiscal depute said Aldridge had initially lived in England, then moved to Scotland and lived at various addresses before moving to Dunfermline.
Ms Fraser said he was a British Transport Police officer before retiring around 2002 and went on to become a driving instructor.
‘Tickle and chase’
Defence lawyer Stephen Morrison said Aldridge’s offending appeared to have “started innocently as a game of tickle and chase” before he began acting on inappropriate thoughts.
The solicitor said: “He does express what appears to me to be genuine remorse.
“He is ashamed, embarrassed, and also expressing what appears to be some reasonable level of insight – not just into his own behaviour, but the effect it will undoubtedly have had, and presumably still has, in relation to his victim.”
Mr Morrison said first offender Aldridge, who lives with his wife at Golf View, Cardenden, had otherwise seemed to have been an “upstanding member of the community” and “attended church on a regular basis”.
The solicitor said his client has not been attending church because it would mean him being supervised, and he did not want to place the church in that position.
Mr Morrison said although it took Aldridge “some time” to accept culpability, it appears to have been “weighing heavily” on him.
He said Aldridge’s guilt was such that he confessed to a counsellor in the knowledge it would not be kept confidential.
Sheriff Charles Lugton deferred sentence on Aldridge until July 19 for the production of background reports and his bail was continued.
Aldridge was placed on the Sex Offenders Register meantime.
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