A MUSSELBURGH man who told his young victim the reason he sexually assaulted her was because he had “a broken brain” has been jailed and placed on the sex offenders' register.

Andrew Blaikie preyed on the teenage schoolgirl by placing his hands under her clothing and fondling her breasts while looking after her at a property in East Lothian.

Blaikie, 44, also placed his hand inside the girl’s underwear and touched her groin during several attacks carried out between September 2021 and October last year.

Blaikie was caught after the brave victim later broke down and told her mother about the repeated sexual assaults on her.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told that the attacker had told the girl he repeatedly molested her because he had “a f***ing broken brain that makes me do things that are wrong”.

Blaikie appeared at the Capital court for sentencing on Wednesday after previously admitting sexually assaulting the child on occasions between September 1, 2021, and October 2 last year.

READ MORE: Andrew Blaikie sexually assaulted schoolgirl while they watched movies

Lawyer Julie Torley, representing Blaikie, said that her client had “expressed remorse for his actions” and before the offending he had been “a productive member of society who provided for his family”.

Ms Torley added that Blaikie, of North High Street, Musselburgh, had been deemed as “extremely low risk of reoffending” and was “capable of change”.

She told the court that Blaikie had been “honest and up front with his employers” about his conviction but had now been sacked from his job in a local supermarket.

Sheriff Christopher Dickson said: “I have taken into account your personal circumstances, the contents of the report and all that has been said in mitigation.

“This was an extremely serious offence which involved a gross breach of trust over an extended period.

“I consider a custodial sentence the only appropriate way to deal with you.”

Blaikie was jailed for 13 months and placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.

He was also handed a non-harassment order banning him from contacting his victim or going near her home for the next five years.

Last month, fiscal depute Alan Wickham told the court that Blaikie targeted the schoolgirl after her mother had asked him to look after the child for the evening.

Mr Wickham said that Blaikie “took the opportunity to move his hands under her clothing” and would regularly “touch her breasts” while they sat on a sofa watching movies together.

The court was told that on several occasions the attacker had also “touched her on the vagina” and the terrified girl had broken down during a phone call and told her mother about the abuse.

Blaikie then sent texts to the girl stating that he was “f***ed up in the head” and claimed he “never meant to hurt anyone”.

A second message to the child read: “I love you very dearly and I do have a f***ing broken brain that makes me do things I know are wrong but want to do them anyway as they feel so nice.”

And a third text stated: “I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused - goodbye.”