A 59-year-old man has been found guilty of sexually abusing two boys in Fife and is now behind bars.
Robert Brown targeted one of the children from when they were aged nine and the other from the age of 14.
A trial heard Brown would show his vulnerable victims pornographic videos and perform sex acts on them at his then-home addresses.
The children were abused several years apart and police had no evidence they were known to each other, the trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court was told.
Brown, of Blair Street, Kelty, had accepted he watched porn and masturbated in the presence of his teenage victim but denied any sexual contact.
He claimed his younger victim once switched on his TV to see part of a porn movie he had accidentally left playing and once again denied any sexual contact.
But a unanimous jury found him guilty of repeatedly sexually assaulting or indecently assaulting the two boys.
Predator abused two boys
The abuse of his younger victim took place on various occasions over a three-year period in the 2010s at an address in the Cowdenbeath area.
He showed him pornographic videos, sexually assaulted him, caused him to participate in sexual activity and be present during sexual activity.
This included causing him to perform a sex act on him and performing sex acts on the boy.
The earlier abuse of his teenage victim happened on various occasions over a two-year period in the 2000s at another address in the area and at Blairadam Forest, near Kelty, and various roads between them.
It involved making a sexual remark to the boy, touching and rubbing his body, showing him porn videos, performing a sex act on him and inducing the boy to perform sex acts on him.
Remanded
In her closing speech to jurors, Prosecutor Sarah Wilkinson detailed nine similarities in the nature of Brown’s offending on each of his two victims.
She highlighted the boys’ vulnerabilities, that it happened at Brown’s home, the specific conduct described by the victims in their evidence, and the showing of porn movies.
She said: “It demonstrates Robert Brown is a sexual predator who has a predilection for male children.”
Following the verdicts, Sheriff Susan Duff remanded Brown in custody and told him: “This is far too serious for you to be readmitted to bail”.
Sentencing was deferred until August 26 to obtain background reports.
Defence counsel Paul Keenan said he would reserve mitigation until this hearing.
Mr Keenan had argued for bail to be continued, noting Brown, who has arthritis, had been on bail for 18 months with no breaches.
Brown was put on the sex offenders register.
He was cleared of a third allegation that he sexually assaulted one of his victims on a later occasion when he was aged 16, after jurors found the charge not proven.
For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook.
