DUMBARTON SEX OFFENDER CONVICTED OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AND VIDEO RECORDINGS
A Dumbarton pervert has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two girls and taking secret video recordings of them.John Ruth, who is listed as a prisoner in Greenock, had denied charges including possession of indecent images and directing sexual communications at a teenager.
The 40-year-old has been kept in custody since earlier court proceedings and was returned to prison to await sentencing.
On July 10, a jury unanimously convicted Ruth of seven charges following a trial at Dumbarton Sheriff Court.
He was guilty of possession of indecent photos or pseudo-photos of children between November 6, 2022, and February 24, 2023, at a property in Dumbarton and elsewhere.
Furthermore, he took or permitted indecent images of a child.
On February 3, 2023, he sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl, touching her breasts and making a sexual remark about performing oral sex.
The following day, he encouraged a nine-year-old girl to touch her privates, made sexualized comments, and discussed masturbation with her.
Ruth also sexually assaulted the same girl repeatedly, touching her privates.
Additionally, he hid his mobile phone in a bathroom to record a video of her using the lavatory, and on February 5, he recorded a video of a 15-year-old girl drying herself after showering.
Earlier in the trial, Sheriff Maxwell Hendry found Ruth not guilty of taking photos of the nine-year-old girl's private parts under her clothing between November 6 and 21, 2022, or of recording a video up her skirt on February 11, 2023.
Ruth was registered on the sex offenders register in the interim and is scheduled for sentencing on August 5.
