School bus driver who sexually abused two boys over 20 years ago jailed for six years

A man who sexually abused two young boys while he was their school bus driver more than 20 years ago has been jailed for six years.

Dean Elliott, who went on to run Airdrie-based business Elliott Entertainments, was told by a judge he had breached the trust placed in him by carrying out planned and premeditated crimes.

Lord Stuart said that one of the acts Elliott committed against one of the victims would be classed as rape if committed now.

He added the 50-year-old caused his victims “considerable” psychological harm.

Elliott, of West Kilbride, appeared for sentence at the High Court in Stirling on Wednesday after he was unanimously found guilty by a jury in June of indecently assaulting both boys at locations in Perthshire and Tayside between August 2002 and September 2005, over a period of three years, while they were 12 to 15 years old.

He denied the charges, and the court heard he continued to do so, telling a social worker he had been framed.

Advocate Kenneth Cloggie, defending, said: “He maintains his innocence.”

Jurors heard he had groomed the boys, exchanging phone numbers and text messages with them, and after he had gained their trust, abused one of them in his car parked in a secluded spot.

He abused the other boy on various occasions on the school bus, after inviting him to remain on the vehicle alone with him and parking the vehicle up in laybys between Blairgowrie and Perth.

Lord Stuart, after reading a social background report on Elliott, told him: “The report records that you take no responsibility for the offences, that you showed no insight or remorse, and you stated that the complainers made up the allegations for financial gain.

“You stated to the author of the report that the information contained in the charges is ‘a load of s***e’.

“As a school bus driver you were in a position of trust towards the complainers – a position of trust that you breached.

“Your actions required a considerable degree of planning and pre-meditation. It is plain from the evidence that you were well aware that what you were doing was wrong and took steps to hide what you were doing.

“It is clear from seeing and hearing the complainers giving evidence that both of them have suffered considerable psychological harm.”

He said a victim impact statement from one of Elliott’s victims “confirms that your actions have had a significant and long-standing effect on him”.

Lord Stuart said the social work report put Elliott as medium-risk for sexual reoffending.

In addition to the six-year jail term, he imposed a further three years’ extension, to be served in the community on licence, during which Elliott can be recalled to prison if he re-offends.

He imposed a lifelong non-harassment order banning Elliott from approaching or contacting his victims ever again, and placed him on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Elliott showed no emotion as he was led in handcuffs to the cells.

Outside court, one of the victims said: “I’m happy with the sentence. I’m content with it. I feel that [what the judge said] is going to go a long way in terms of moving forwards and healing, for sure.”