An 81-year-old man is behind bars after being found guilty of molesting children in the 1970s and 80s.
Alexander Florence had denied targeting two girls aged between 5 and 11 as well as indecently assaulting one of them when she was 16.
But, in evidence led by fiscal depute Robert Weir, a jury heard from his now-adult victims, who described how Florence had touched them intimately and sexually abused them.
The women were visibly emotional as they described Florence’s crimes, which took place between 1974 and 1981.
Man looked at page three model as he sexually abused child
One described how she still remembered the smell of the gorse flowers as Florence molested her in woodland.
She also described how he had sat her on his lap with a copy of a newspaper open to page three across her legs as he molested her.
The crimes took place at locations in Mosstodloch, Elgin and Glen Shiel.
The woman, who was the victim of the indecent assault when she was 16, told the court how Florence targeted her at a bus stop, pulling her towards him and pressing himself against her in a state of arousal.
The court heard how she had revealed the abuse to her husband and then eventually contacted police, whose investigation led them to the other victim.
Officers visited Florence, of Castlehill Road, Fochabers, at his home and he was arrested.
Abuser ‘didn’t think’ he was attracted to children
In an interview with police shown to the jury, Florence answered “no comment” to questions about the incidents.
However, when asked “Are you attracted to children in any way?” he replied: “I don’t think so, no.”
When charged with the crimes, he told officers: “It didn’t happen.”
Taking to the witness box, in evidence led by defence agent Robert Cruickshank, Florence again denied all of the allegations.
The pensioner told the jury he did not know why the women had said the things they did.
Asked if he had indecently assaulted one of them when she was 16 at a bus stop, he replied: “Certainly not.”
‘Sexually motivated’ behaviour
In his closing speech to the jury, Mr Weir told the jurors Florence’s behaviour had been “clearly sexually motivated”.
The jury took less than an hour to agree with the Crown and returned majority guilty verdicts on all three charges.
Sheriff Sara Matheson denied the 81-year-old first offender bail and remanded him in custody until the sentencing hearing, telling him: “Your name will now be placed on the sex offenders register.”
The case will call again next month.
