Sex offender who abused four victims over a 38-year period jailed
A sex offender who abused four people over a 38-year-period was today given a sentence of nearly seven years and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life for the offences.
A sex offender who abused four people over a 38-year-period was today given a sentence of nearly seven years and placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life for the offences.
William Hislop, 53, targeted the male and three females - who are all now adults and can't be named for legal reasons - between 1977 and 2015.
Police were told in 2004 he'd abused his second and third victims and he was interviewed twice over his crimes.
It was ruled there was not enough evidence to prosecute him and he was therefore left free to abuse his fourth victim, who is disabled, in March last year.
But justice eventually caught up with him and he was hit with a sentence totalling six years and 11 months at Paisley Sheriff Court today.
He was jailed for 53 months - four years and five months - and will be monitored for 30 months - two-and-a-half years - once released into the community.
Hislop pleaded guilty to four charges, one in relation to each victim, earlier this year.
He abused his first victim between 1978 and 1980, when the boy was aged between eight and 10 and he was 16 or 17, at an address in Renfrew, near Glasgow.
He abused his second victim on an occasion between 1977 and 1980, when she was asleep and was aged between 12 and 14, at the same address.
She woke up and asked what he was doing and he said, "looking for spots."
His third victim was abused between 1994 and 1995 at another address in the burgh town.
He told the nine-year-old he had a surprise for her before entering her bedroom, watching her getting changed and assaulting her.
The embarrassed schoolgirl told a friend what had happened but couldn't tell her mum and wrote it in a letter, which was found by her mum years later.
Procurator Fiscal Depute Scot Diana, prosecuting, explained: "This was reported in 2004 and was initially investigated but there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
"He was interviewed on February 19, 2004.
"He was interviewed again in 2011 but, as indicated, there was insufficient evidence to proceed as these times."
As Hislop was not prosecuted in 2004 or 2011 he was free to abuse his fourth victim in March 2015 at his home in Neilston, East Renfrewshire.
He was drinking with the teen - who suffers from autism - and her boyfriend and struck when her boyfriend fell asleep - despite her crying and telling him to stop.
She told her boyfriend the following morning and they contacted police a few days later.
The 2015 assault meant there was now enough evidence to prosecute Hislop over the abuse of the other two women in the '70s and '90s.
And as part of their investigation police discovered abused the boy in the late '70s.
Hislop, who had long hair when he admitted his guilt but has since shaved his head, pulled faces as his disgusting crimes were explained in court.
Sentence was deferred for Hislop to be assessed by social workers and a psychiatrist and he returned to the dock today to learn his fate.
Defence solicitor Gordon Ritchie asked for leniency, saying Hislop's guilty pleas saved his victims from "the distressing and harrowing process of giving evidence."
The lawyer added: "Children learn from their parents behaviour and boundaries and such behaviour was a feature of Mr Hislop's childhood and upbringing.
"If ever there was someone suitable for education and supervision, due to his age and lack of previous convictions, Mr Hislop would be the perfect candidate.
"He is not in my submission a danger to the wider public due to the length of time since the offences and the individuals involved.
"By sending him to prison your lordship would not be properly protecting the public in my submission. "He has been ostracised by his family."
But Sheriff Seith Ireland ruled there was only one way he could deal with Hislop.
As he jailed him for the "serious sexual offences", he said: "I'm left with the opinion that no other disposal is appropriate other than a custodial sentence due to the gravity of the offences.
"You remain and present a serious risk to the public because of your behaviour of offending in a sexual manner over a period of time."