A Fife man told police his past was “coming back to haunt” him when he was arrested for sexually assaulting two girls aged seven and eight.
Jon Walker’s crimes were committed more than five years ago and only came to light when his traumatised victims told a school teacher “bad things” had happened to them in the past.
The 20-year-old, of Swan Place, Glenrothes, admitted repeatedly assaulting the two girls who cannot be named for legal reasons between April 2004 and June 2005.
Depute fiscal Lesley Smith explained how the accused repeatedly touched the girls.
“This happened on a regular basis,” Ms Smith told Cupar Sheriff Court.
“The girls did not understand the accused’s behaviour toward them.
“They did not like it, but did not understand that it was wrong.”
The depute fiscal said the girls who were friends and classmates only relatively recently plucked up the courage to tell a teacher what had happened.
“They told a teacher that bad things had happened to them and that they had been touched in a sexual way,” Ms Smith explained.
“The accused was subsequently traced and, when detained by police, said, ‘This will be my past coming back to haunt me’.”
Solicitor Rosie Scott said Walker now regretted his actions and realised how serious the offences were.
“Mr Walker accepts what has been said, and his position is that at the time he did not really appreciate that it was wrong,” she told the court.
“He does now realise that it was in fact very wrong.
“He regrets what the girls have been through and, by pleading guilty at this stage, has spared them from coming to court.”
Ms Scott pointed out that, although the accused was “much older” than his helpless victims, he was a relatively young teenager himself at the time of the offences.
“He has never been in trouble before, but fully accepts and admits his part in this,” the defence agency added.
Sheriff Charles Macnair deferred sentence for reports until May 12.
In the meantime, he ordered that Walker’s name be added to the sex offenders register.