A pensioner has been warned he is facing a lengthy jail term after admitting sexually abusing a girl.
Norman Western, 74, of Tullos Crescent, Aberdeen, admitted the offences which took place more than 40 years ago.
He appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and pled guilty to using lewd, libidinous practices and behaviour towards the girl between the 1970s and 80s.
Depute fiscal Colin Neilson told the court the abuse began when the victim was just a young girl and when it started she was “terrified”.
It ended when she confronted Western, telling him it had to stop.
Mr Neilson said: “The accused started to cry and agreed with her.
“This brought the abuse to an end.”
He added: “The complainer suffered a breakdown when she was 22 and confronted the accused.
“She states that the abuse has affected her whole life.
“This has included a significant impact on her mental health.”
When Western was arrested in 2018, he told police he had been drinking “quite a bit of home brew and my behaviour wasn’t good”.
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Sheriff Graham Buchanan said: “Given the seriousness of the offence, the period of time over which the abuse occurred and the very young age at which it started, and having regard to what sentencing guidelines there are in Scotland, a significant custodial sentence is inevitable.”
Addressing Western, he added: “I’m going to have to continue this case to obtain a background report and social work report and an appropriate risk assessment.
“You have no previous convictions but the charge to which you have pled guilty is extremely serious and the inevitable outcome is that a significant sentence of imprisonment is going to have to be imposed.”
He deferred sentence until August and remanded Western in custody.
Defence agent John Hardie said: “He is a gentleman of advanced years with no previous convictions of any kind.”
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