An East Kilbride man who sexually abused a woman and a young girl has been jailed for three years.
Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that the girl was of primary school age when she was molested by William Blair.
Blair, 53, denied sexual offences against the two females, but a jury convicted him on majority verdicts last month.
The young girl was abused on an occasion between 2018 and 2020.
His adult victim was targeted on various occasions over the same period.
Blair went into the witness box to protest his innocence, but after deliberating for more than three hours, the jury convicted him.
When he returned to court for sentencing, defence agent Gerry McGuire said Blair has struggled with a drink problem and is not working at present because of poor health.
The solicitor added: “He appreciates both charges are serious, but his record is not the most serious seen in these courts.
“It has been suggested by a social worker that, should the court consider a community-based sentence, he is assessed as a suitable candidate for supervision and an electronic tag.”
But Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen said jail was the only appropriate sentence because of the “gravity” of the crimes.
He told Blair: “Both charges are very serious. You took advantage of these individuals for your own sexual gratification.”
The sheriff also put Blair on the sex offenders’ register for an indefinite period.
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