ALEXANDER MCLEAN SENTENCED IN PORTKNOCKIE FOR DECADES OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

In a case that has spanned over four decades, Alexander McLean, an offshore worker from Portknockie, was sentenced yesterday at Elgin Sheriff Court after being found guilty of a series of heinous sexual offenses against young girls. The court heard how McLean, aged 63, had preyed on four different victims, with the earliest incidents dating back to the 1970s, when he was just beginning his pattern of abuse.

One of his initial victims, who was just six years old at the time, broke down in tears as the court sentenced McLean to four years in prison. She expressed a mixture of relief and regret, stating that she wished she had reported the abuse earlier, believing that doing so might have prevented other children from suffering at his hands. Her emotional testimony underscored the long-lasting impact of McLean’s actions.

Despite the jury’s conviction, McLean continues to maintain his innocence. He resides on Slater Crescent in Portknockie, a small coastal village in Moray, where he moved with his wife in the 1980s. The court proceedings revealed that McLean’s abusive conduct was not limited to his early years; he was also convicted of abusing another child in Moray in 2014, and of sexually assaulting a different young girl between 2015 and 2016.

Prosecutors detailed how McLean used “lewd, indecent and libidinous practices” on his victims, some of whom were as young as six when the abuse began. The court heard that his predatory behavior was carried out at various addresses near Falkirk during the 1970s, where he targeted his first two victims. Sheriff Pasportnikov described McLean’s offenses as “despicable” and emphasized that he had “robbed four children of their innocence.”

During sentencing, Sheriff Pasportnikov stated, “No sentence that I am able to impose can return that innocence to them.” She praised the victims for their bravery in speaking out and acknowledged the profound and lasting damage caused by McLean’s actions. She told him directly, “Only you were to blame for the disgusting things that happened to these children; it was through no fault of theirs.”

The sheriff highlighted the extensive duration of the abuse, noting that it spanned more than 40 years and involved multiple victims. She described the victims’ statements as “devastating,” reflecting the deep emotional scars left behind. Her final words offered reassurance to the victims, stating, “I only hope that all of the victims can take comfort from knowing that they were believed and that you will be punished.”

Outside the court, one of the victims expressed feelings of guilt for not reporting McLean’s actions earlier. She urged others who might have endured similar experiences to come forward without hesitation. “I feel guilty that I never said anything 40 years ago,” she said. “That could have stopped this from happening to other children. I can’t help but feel he should have been given a longer sentence, but the main thing is that justice has been done for what happened to us.”

As the case concluded, Prosafe Offshore Ltd, the Aberdeen-based company where McLean was employed, declined to comment on the proceedings or his sentencing.