Pensioner who abused girls in Glasgow jailed

A pensioner who sexually abused three young sisters for more than a decade has been jailed for six years.

William Cassells,80, assaulted the girls between 1975 and 1989 at addresses in Castlemilk, Glasgow and nearby Rutherglen.

The High Court in Glasgow heard how one victim was aged 10 when Cassells began abusing her. The other two were aged 11 and 12 when they were abused.

Cassells, of Rutherglen, South Lanarkshire, was convicted after trial. Sentence had been deferred for the court to obtain reports.

On Wednesday, at the High Court in Edinburgh, defence advocate John McElroy told the court that his client was in poor health.

But judge Tom Hughes QC told Cassells that the only sentence he could impose was jail.

He added: "The complainers in this case have described the catastrophic impact which your offending has had on their lives.

"The fact that the jury believed their stories will hopefully bring them some comfort.

"These are serious offences and prison is inevitable. The sentence which the court imposes will be of six years imprisonment."

At proceedings in August 2017, the victims, who are now in their 40s and 50s, told prosecutor Rosemary Guinnane that they told their mother what happened to them but she did not believe them.

They said that Cassells would regularly look after them and this was when he would sexually assault them.

The sisters had recently decided to report the historic abuse to the police. Officers found enough evidence to bring Cassells to the court.

On Wednesday, Mr McElroy told the court that his client respected the decision of jurors.

He asked judge Hughes to be as lenient as possible.

Mr McElroy added: "He is 80-years-old and is not in the best of health."

Judge Hughes placed Cassells on the Sex Offenders Register.