A PERVERT pensioner who molested a schoolgirl over a four-year period has been jailed.

Gavin Goudie sexually assaulted the 12-year-old daughter of a friend who lived nearby when she visited his county home in the 1980s.

Goudie, 70, kissed the primary school pupil on the mouth and body and also touched her sexually during the numerous attacks between 1981 and 1985.

The OAP also compelled the girl to touch him sexually and he simulated sexual intercourse with her at his home in Tranent.

Goudie admitted the abuse, which carried on until just before the girl turned 16, during an appearance at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month and returned to the dock for sentencing.

Sheriff Donald Corke told Goudie that he had caused the girl “significant and long-lasting harm” and there was no other sentence he could hand down but a custodial one.

Sheriff Corke jailed Goudie for 12 months and placed him on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.

Previously the court was told that Goudie began abusing the girl on her 12th birthday and carried on the assaults until the day before her 16th birthday.

Solicitor Christopher Fehilly said the girl had attended at the home of his elderly client of her own volition and the pensioner had shown “remorse” and “bitterly regretted” the incidents.

Mr Fehilly added: “It was a difficult time in Mr Goudie’s own circumstances [at the time of offending] and he was abusing alcohol at the time. He has now not drunk alcohol in a significant number of years.”

Sheriff Corke said: “This is a case where you pled guilty to amended offences contrary to the Sexual Offences Scotland Act and engaged in various forms of sexual activity against a neighbour’s daughter. Due to her age there can be no question of blame or consent on her part.

“Your actions are likely to have caused significant and long-lasting physical harm and there needs to be a deterrent.

“In my view there is no method of dealing with you other than custody.”

Goudie pleaded guilty to using lewd and libidinous practices towards the girl by kissing her, touching her, compelling her to touch him sexually and simulating sexual intercourse at his home between dates in 1981 and 1985.

A plea of not guilty to engaging in unlawful sex with the girl between the same dates was accepted by the Crown.