Locations
Palgowan Farm, Newton Stewart, Wigtownshire, DG8
Description
A sex offender who horrifically abused three young girls has been jailed for five years.
Douglas Brown, 60, was sentenced at Dumfries Sheriff Court on Tuesday.
The 60-year-old attacker’s appalling crimes prompted Sheriff Scott Pattison to impose the highest possible sentence.
The sheriff praised the victims’ bravery in coming forward.
One of them, now aged 26 and from Dumfries, welcomed the prison term and said Brown being off the street would give her “five years of peace”.
She said: “I’m glad I don’t need to worry about bumping into him in the street or having him drive past me.
“On the other hand, he’s been sentenced to five years while I’ve been left with a life sentence of having to deal with what he did.”
Brown, of Palgowan Farm, Bargrennan, was found guilty at an earlier trial and his sentence had been deferred for background reports including a psychological evaluation.
Sheriff Pattison said: “The jury found you guilty of sexually abusing three children and physically assaulting one of them.
“They were aged between five and 11 years old at the time and that abuse was persistent and prolonged.
“The abuse lasted for years. You were to blame and you were responsible.
“But for the bravery of the three girls you could have avoided justice for serious crimes.”
He added: “I have considered all that has been said on your behalf and the assessments, but I am satisfied only a custodial sentence is appropriate to punish and deter you for the future.
“The sheer persistence leads me to sentence you to the limit of my powers and that is five years imprisonment from today.”
Brown was charged that on various occasions between April 1, 2003 and February 28, 2006 at an address in the region he used indecent practices towards a girl who was aged seven at the start of the abuse.
He removed her clothing, touched her private parts and made her commit a sex act on him.
Brown similarly abused a second girl, aged seven at the start of the offences, on various occasions between April 1, 2003 and May 25, 2008 at two addresses in the region.
In addition, he had sex with a woman in her presence and caused the girl to look at pornographic material.
A third girl, aged only five at the start of the abuse, was a victim between April 1, 2003 and April 26, 2010 at two addresses in the region.
He got into bed and sexually abused her. The court heard earlier he also had sex with a woman in her presence and caused the child to view pornography.
The fourth charge was that on various occasions between April 1, 2003 and July 3, 2011, at two addresses in the region he struck the same girl with his hand, seized her by the throat, pinned her against a wall and uttered threats of violence towards her.
The jury unanimously found him guilty on the first, third and fourth charges and found him guilty by a majority verdict on the second charge.
The victim told the Standard that Brown had never shown any remorse for the abuse.
She said: “He’s never apologised and in fact, seemed to think what he did had been blown out of proportion and wasn’t that bad.
“He thought he was above the law because he’s got plenty of money.
“Since the day he started abusing me, my life hasn’t progressed in any way.
“I haven’t been able to connect to anybody, I’m scared of absolutely everything including even going outside and especially speaking to older men.
“It was only when one of the other victims reported the abuse that I decided to speak out and I’m glad I did even though I had to force myself to.
“I’d urge anyone else in the same situation to find someone they trust and tell them what’s happening.
“It’s only now that I can finally fix my mental health and sort out my life.
“Sometimes I think about what happened when I don’t want to.
“I’ve always felt full of shame and that I wasn’t normal.
“Brown is disgusting and I’m glad he’s not going to be around anymore children for a while.”