A child sex abuse victim was awarded £15,000 in compensation after her attacker was spared a jail sentence.
The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told a jury how she thought she was “a prostitute” as she accepted cash and gifts from 49-year-old plant operator Christopher Mackay of Torrisdale, Skerray in Sutherland.
Mackay has to pay one of his two victims £200 a month as he was sentenced to the maximum 300 hours of unpaid work, three years of probation and spending the same period on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
In January, a jury at Inverness Sheriff Court found Mackay guilty of three charges of indecently assaulting the girls between October, 1994 and 1995.
One of his victims told the three-day trial that she was showered with gifts and money.
The second victim told how Mackay had placed his hand on her buttock and breast and asked her to kiss him.
Defence solicitor Lorenzo Alonzi told the court that his client “was a changed man. He is well-respected in the community, very close to his extended family and very supportive to his mother.
“He does not present a risk. He did this when he was between the ages of 20 and 25. He is now almost 50 and this conviction is a massive punishment.”
Sheriff David Sutherland told Mackay: “By any measure, these are serious charges. The only decision is whether to impose a custodial sentence or some other which will protect the public and ensure you do not commit offences like this again.
“I have taken into account what has been said on your behalf, the testimonials and the social work report, but also the victim impact statement. So I have decided to impose a sentence in the community with compensation.”
