Rapist who attacked young girls over 14 years jailed
A rapist who robbed three youngsters of their childhoods after preying on them in a catalogue of abuse was jailed for six and a half years today.
A rapist who robbed three youngsters of their childhoods after preying on them in a catalogue of abuse was jailed for six and a half years today.
A judge told Thomas Shields that he had inflicted "immeasurable damage" on his victims after perpetrating a 14-year ordeal of sexual offending.
Two of Shields' victims were aged only four when he first began targeting them and the third girl was subjected to rape as a 15-year-old after he had abused her from the age of 12.
Shields, 57, of Lenzie Place, Springburn, in Glasgow, had earlier admitted a total of seven charges, including rape, attempted rape and indecency offences.
The sex crimes took place at addresses in the city between 1988 and 2002.
Lady Scott told Shields at the High Court in Edinburgh: "You have pled guilty to seven charges of the sexual abuse of three young children."
The judge said: "This is a very serious, sustained course of sexual abuse. It requires a very substantial prison sentence."
She told the predator that he would have faced a 10-year prison term, but for his guilty pleas.
Lady Scott said the young age of the victims and the protracted nature of the offending made it particularly serious.
The judge told Shields: "You have caused immeasurable damage to your victims. They have ongoing difficulties and require professional help."
She said he had robbed the victims' of their childhoods and future trust.
Lady Scott said a background report prepared on Shields had advised he get help in prison and she strongly recommended he take that course.
Shields had shown pornographic material to one victim and carried out sex acts and tried to rape her.
Another child was also shown sexual images by him during the abuse she was subjected to by Shields.
The former ventilation worker has expressed a willingness to take part in any programmes available to him in jail, said his counsel Euan Dow.
The defence counsel said: "He does not have any previous convictions, but clearly that has to be seen in the light of the extensive and lengthy offending that forms the present indictment."
Mr Dow said Shields had been assessed as posing a low risk of further offending.