Man sentenced for historical sexual assaults in the north-east
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Police Scotland has acknowledge the sentence of nine years in jail given to a man who pleaded guilty to non-recent assault and sexual offences in the Buchan area.
John Sinclair, 72, last month admitted to offences which took place between 1974 and 1980.
He was remanded in custody and was sentenced today (Thursday, August 25) at the High Court in Aberdeen.
Detectives from Police Scotland’s National Child Abuse Investigation Unit (North East) led the investigation into the case and Sinclair was arrested and charged on October 3, 2019.
Detective Inspector Anna Johnston said: "We welcome the sentencing of John Sinclair and I would like to thank the victims in this case who assisted us with our investigation.
“The passage of time does not make these incidents any easier to talk about and their bravery is to be commended.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge anyone who has or is being subjected to any form of abuse or harm to get in touch with the police and report it.
“We treat all reports seriously, with the utmost professionalism and sensitivity, no matter when the offence took place.
“Cases like this show that Police Scotland is determined to bring the suspects of these crimes to justice.”
All five of his victims provided statements to police in 1990 but “for reasons obscured by the passage of time” he was never charged and was finally brought to justice after one of his brave victims provided a statement to the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry in 2017.
