Description
A SEX offender found guilty of historic abuse involving five young girls in Ayr has been jailed.
Brian McCulloch was given an extended custodial sentence after being convicted by a jury in December of 11 charges of historic child sexual abuse, dating from 2005 to 2022.
The 50-year-old, previously of Catrine, had denied the allegations, with jury members hearing the abuse left one victim suffering nightmares while another told of being assaulted in Ayr’s former Odeon cinema while watching a Harry Potter film.
The court listened to recorded police interviews with young females, with cross-examination completed during a pre-recorded commission hearing held remotely in the same court.
One of the women gave evidence in person, stating “that’s incorrect”, "again that's incorrect" and "that's a lie" when McCulloch's denials were put to her.
One girl told police McCulloch assaulted her on numerous occasions into her early teens, saying: "He sexually abused me, obviously I couldn't consent."
She added: "I didn't understand."
The witness claimed that McCulloch said if she told her family "they wouldn't believe you, not love you anymore and think you're dirty", adding, "so I just never told anyone".
A second teenage witness told police she had been indecently assaulted while she was of primary school age.
She said: "He would stick his hand on my bum then rub it, and just be a weirdo."
"It just didn't feel right," she added. "One time I asked 'what are you doing' and he said 'it doesn't matter'."
The jury heard a recorded interview during which the youngest complainer told police: "I didn't like him. He touched my full body and I didn't like it."
Another complainer told officers: "I remember him running his hands up and down my body, His hands were rough like sandpaper, he was a bit rough, he wasn't gentle. It was as if he was feeling me. I wish he wasn't alive."
Taking the stand in his defence McCulloch branded the accusations "rubbish".
He said: "I cannot think of one reason why the allegations have been made. The allegations have really affected my life."
He was found guilty of all charges when verdicts were returned late last year following a trial at Ayr Sheriff Court.
When he returned to court last week defence solicitor Tony Currie said: "Your lordship will remember this case well, the matter proceeded to trial and he was convicted of all charges.
"At 50-years-old he is appreciative absolutely of the position he finds himself in.
"I always find the [social work] reporting process in these cases can be difficult, on the one hand he went to trial and maintains his innocence, and he is equally accepting of the verdict of the jury. The consequence is he is a man who is prepared to accept the inevitable.
"He is a man with no previous convictions and no cases outstanding. Throughout his adult life he has been in full time employment.
"The report speaks of anger, frustration and other emotions attributed and presentation in the reporting process.
"Sadly as is all too common in these cases, as a direct consequence of the verdict then [press] reporting of the verdict he has been subject to abuse and violent threats since the last calling of the case.
"He will comply with any disposal considered in the circumstances and has been subject to [sex offender] notification requirements since the verdict."
Sheriff Desmond Leslie said: "This was a trial of some duration and you will appreciate the jury took a significant period of time to consider their verdict - the only distinction on the charges was whether the verdict was unanimous or by majority.
"You fully appreciate the serious nature of these offences and what the disposal is likely to be and inevitably that will be custodial.
"You will be sentenced to a period of four years, three years in custody and one additional year in the community in an extended sentence."
The sheriff granted non-harassment orders forbidding any contact with the victims for five years.
McCulloch was told he would remain on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period before being handcuffed and led down to custody.