A man who raped a nine-year-old girl was jailed for nine years yesterday.
Peter Carter, 49, was convicted of raping the schoolgirl and sexually abusing her between 2005 and 2009.
He was also found guilty of sexually abusing a seven-year-old in August 2011.
The High Court in Glasgow heard the abuse took place at a house in Argyll.
Carter, who is originally from Yorkshire, denied the charges and claimed the girls were lying about what had happened.
Both victims gave evidence against him via a video link.
The older girl told the court that when police interviewed her about Carter’s abuse, she was unable to say what had happened to her out loud and had to write down details of the sex assaults on a piece of paper.
She said: “It was easier for me to write them down than say them. I was finding it very hard to get the words out.”
The court was told Carter moved to Scotland from England to start a new life, giving up his job as an engineer and starting a carpentry business.
Defence counsel Dale Hughes said: “He continues to deny committing the offences. After his release from prison he intends to return to Yorkshire.”
Jailing him, Judge John Beckett QC said: “In different ways you have traumatised your two child victims. Your conduct was reprehensible in raping a young girl who was nine-years old-at the time.
“The court must seek to deter you and others from committing such crimes and to protect children from you.”
Judge Beckett also ordered Carter to be placed on the sex offenders register and to be monitored in the community for three years following his release from prison.
