Rapist plied child victims with alcohol, cigarettes and money during two decades of abuse

A repeat sex offender who plied his child victims with alcohol, cigarettes and money as he subjected them to repeated abuse has been jailed for 12 years.

Derek Lamond, 59, molested two girls and carried out sex acts on them at addresses in Fife and in cars over more than two decades.

The former farmworker went on to rape one victim and subjected the second to an attempted rape attack.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard how Lamond claimed the victims had made up their accounts of abuse for financial gain.

Judge Lord Renucci told Lamond, of Dunfermline, that he needed to go to prison for his crimes.

He also told Lamond, who has two previous convictions for sex offences, that he was also going to be supervised by the authorities for three years following his release from custody.

Passing sentence, Lord Renucci said: “The harm you have caused to the complainers has continued to affect them well into adulthood.

“This is your third conviction for sexual offences – with your continued denials I am satisfied that the risk you pose is significant.

“You continue to deny the offences. You continue to blame your victims and suggest that their actions were motivated by financial gain.

“There is no alternative to a custodial sentence and given the nature of the offences it must be a lengthy custodial sentence.”

Lamond had denied a series of charges during a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh but was found guilty of the ten offences a jury was asked to return verdicts on.

Jurors unanimously convicted of nine crimes and found him guilty of a tenth by a majority verdict.

The offences included rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and indecent conduct.

Lamond’s sexual crime spree began in 1995 and continued until 2017 when he targeted victims in Dunfermline, Steelend and other locations in Fife.

He began abusing his first victim when she was aged just four.

During the repeated targeting of the child over years he provided her with alcohol and cigarettes.

On one occasion when the girl was aged between seven and ten, he assaulted and raped her in a parked car in Fife.

Lamond also began abusing a second girl when she was aged seven and also gave her money, drink and cigarettes over a period of years.

He also subjected her to sexual abuse while she was sleeping. Lamond also tried to rape the girl during an assault on one occasion at a house in Fife.

During an interview with police after the abuse came to light he denied touching the victims in a sexual manner in any way and said: “I think it has all been made up.”

Lamond was on bail during his trial but following the verdicts was remanded in custody for the preparation of a background report ahead of sentencing.

Lord Renucci also placed Lamond on the Sex Offenders Register for life.