DAVID BROWN FROM LOCHGELLY SENTENCED TO SIX AND A HALF YEARS FOR DECADES OF SEXUAL ABUSE IN FIFE AND STIRLINGSHIRE

In a significant development at the High Court in Edinburgh, David Brown, an 82-year-old man with a long history of sexual and violent offences, has been sentenced to six and a half years in prison for a series of heinous sexual abuse crimes committed over several years. The court heard that Brown's offending spanned from 1998 to 2006, with his victims including children and young adults at various addresses across Fife, including the town of Lochgelly, where he resides.

Brown's criminal history is extensive, and he was already serving time for serious sexual and violent offences prior to this conviction. The recent sentencing follows a detailed investigation that uncovered a disturbing pattern of predatory behaviour. The offences were committed at multiple locations across Scotland, with Brown targeting vulnerable victims over a period of nearly a decade. The court was informed that Brown's abuse extended even further back, with allegations dating to the late 1980s and early 1990s, involving young children and teenagers in towns such as Methil and Lochgelly.

Detective Constable Emma Moyes expressed her thoughts on the case, stating, “David Brown will remain in prison for the predatory crimes he has committed. I hope that this outcome will offer his victims some level of closure as they move on with their lives. We thank the victims in this case for coming forward and their determination throughout the investigation.”

Details of Brown’s criminal activities reveal a disturbing timeline. In 2019, he was already sentenced for appalling sexual abuse towards several young teenagers. The court heard that Brown targeted children at various locations across Scotland, including towns in Fife, over a span of nearly three decades, from 1987 to 2014.

Specifically, Brown was convicted of repeatedly raping a nine-year-old boy in Stirlingshire between September 2012 and September 2014. Additionally, he was found guilty of physically assaulting a young girl multiple times between November 1987 and November 1992 at a residence in Methil. The same period also saw Brown repeatedly sexually assaulting a young boy in the town of Methil, starting when the boy was just four years old.

Further allegations detailed in court included Brown’s sexual abuse of a girl aged 13 in Lochgelly between July 2009 and January 2010. He also assaulted a 14-year-old girl in Lochgelly in April 2009, continuing until January 2010. Brown’s predatory behaviour extended to an 11-year-old girl, whom he inappropriately touched over the course of a year starting in February 2007.

Brown’s arrest and subsequent conviction followed a thorough police investigation. Authorities gathered sufficient evidence to bring him to justice, despite his denial of any wrongdoing during court proceedings. When questioned about the rape of the young boy, Brown insisted, “I was never alone with him. I never touched him.”

His defence lawyer, Tim Niven Smith, acknowledged the gravity of the convictions, stating to the judge, Lord Tyre, “Given the nature of the convictions, custody is inevitable – I make that concession on behalf of my client, my lord.” The judge deferred sentencing to allow for reports on Brown’s character to be prepared, indicating the seriousness with which the court viewed the case and the need for a comprehensive assessment before finalizing the sentence.