Jail for Nairn man who sexually abused girl (13) in Moray
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A 13-year-old girl was sexually abused by an older man in a Moray property over a period of two months in 2007.
But the victim contacted police to report it and last year Alan Dawson faced trial on having illegal sexual intercourse with the young teenager and sexually assaulting her, known at the time as lewd and libidinous behaviour.
Dawson, now aged 40, and whose address was given on court papers as Carron Street, Nairn was convicted by a jury of the two offences which occurred between August and September 2007. Sentence had been deferred for a background report.
When he returned to Inverness Sheriff Court to be dealt with by Sheriff Sara Matheson, his defence counsel Bill Adam said his client was "very sorry and ashamed" by his conduct.
He told the court about Dawson's medical history which was also covered in the social work report, adding: "He has been candid about the self medicating he was indulging in but is now to go to his GP for prescription medication.
"Since 2007, he has stopped using alcohol and is willing to seek medical help. Back then he drank to excess and took cannabis. But there has been no subsequent offences and there is nothing outstanding."
Jailing Dawson for 22 months, the sheriff told Dawson: "You were a man of 25 at the time and this was a child of 13. You could not have been ignorant of her age. There is no alternative to a custodial sentence."
Sheriff Matheson also placed Dawson on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.
