JAMES LESLIE FROM MACDUFF SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN INVERNESS

In a case that has shocked the community of Macduff and the wider Banffshire region, James Leslie, aged 51, was sentenced to a decade behind bars for a series of heinous sexual offences. The sentencing took place at the High Court in Inverness, where Leslie was also ordered to register as a sex offender, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the need for ongoing monitoring.

Leslie's criminal activities spanned over a period of time, beginning in the 1980s, when he started abusing two young girls. At the time, the victims were only nine and 12 years old, making the abuse particularly disturbing and tragic. The details of his offences include a total of seven charges, which he admitted to in court. These charges comprised two counts of raping the girls, along with four counts of engaging in lewd, indecent, and libidinous behaviour, highlighting a pattern of predatory conduct.

The judge presiding over the case, Lord Bonomy, did not hold back in condemning Leslie's actions. He described Leslie's reign of terror as having caused