James Pollard, A guy who perpetrated child abuse for more than twenty years has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison.
James Pollard victimised five individuals, all under the age of 16, at multiple sites in northern Scotland between 1979 to 2022.
A 71-year-old individual was convicted of nine offences during a trial at the High Court in Inverness on September 4.
James Pollard’s exploitation of one victim commenced when she was about two years old.
He was convicted of indecently assaulting and sexually abusing the first victim.
James Pollard, from Thurso, indecently assaulted a second child, communicated indecently with a third and sexually assaulted a fourth.
A fifth young victim was physically assaulted and raped.
He was jailed for 15 years, and his name has been added to the sex offenders register indefinitely.
Non-harassment orders, banning James Pollard from contacting or attempting to contact four of the victims, were granted for an indefinite period.
Scotland’s procurator fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Katrina Parkes, said: “James Pollard poses a significant danger to children and young girls with his offending, which took place over a number of years.
“It is thanks to the bravery of these victims that this prosecution and conviction has been made possible.
“Child sexual abuse has no place in Scotland, and Pollard will now face the consequences of his predatory behaviour.
“I would urge anyone who has experienced similar offending to come forward and report it, regardless of how long ago the offences took place.
“You will be listened to and supported as we use all the tools available to us to seek justice.”
Police Scotland detective inspector Reuben Lindsay, of the Child Protection Unit, added: “Pollard carried out a sustained campaign of sexual abuse on young females over a considerable period of time.
“His actions were despicable, and he’s now being made to face the consequences.
“I want to commend the strength of the females involved in reporting his offending and throughout the legal proceedings.
“I hope his conviction and sentencing will bring them some form of justice as they continue to move forward with their lives.
“Police Scotland is committed to tackling sexual crimes, regardless of when they happened, and I’d urge anyone who has been a victim to come forward and report it to us.
“We’ll fully investigate, and we have specialist teams of officers and partner agencies who will support you throughout the process.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 111 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.