Peebles pensioner found guilty of sexually assaulting girl, 11, is jailed
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard the way James Thomson targeted young, vulnerable females was 'depraved, deplorable and disgusting'
Last updated 31st Mar 2023
The mother of an 11-year-old girl sexually assaulted by a Peebles barman is speaking of her relief after watching him being jailed.
James Thomson, who's 68, has today (Monday) been sentenced to 46 months behind bars and placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely, after being found guilty of the attack on the youngster in 2017.
He's also been convicted of a separate sexual assault on a woman, who he also indecently assaulted when she was just 15; and making sexually humiliating comments to two other women in a series of charges dating back to 2003.
However, the details of the full indictment are too graphic to share.
"It's justice for his victims - every one of them," the woman told Radio Borders. "We know that there are victims who haven't been able to make it to court today because they're so traumatised. And they've all got justice, and he's got what he deserved.
"Would I have liked it to have been more? Quite possibly. But at least we know we can move on and he's not going to be walking the streets; we're safe while he's inside."
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Thomson was convicted of a total of seven charges following a week-long trial and returned for sentence today with his bags packed.
Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard the first offender - who was hounded out his home following his conviction last month - had shown no remorse and was a "medium risk" of re-offending.
After reading the victims' impact statements, Sheriff Robert Fife said the way Thomson targeted young, vulnerable females was "depraved, deplorable and disgusting", adding the damage he had caused was "immeasurable".
He said there was no alternative to a custodial sentence - provoking tears, and a "thank you", from the public benches.
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The mother of Thomson's youngest victim, who we're not naming to protect her identity, revealed her child now suffers from anxiety and PTSD as a result of the abuse.
She added: "She has suffered terribly, keeping friendships and relationships because of trust issues, so I'm just hoping this (sentence) will give some closure to all his victims."
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