MARK NEWMAN SENTENCED IN LAURENCEKIRK FOR DECADES OF SEXUAL OFFENCES IN ABERDEEN AND PETERHEAD

A man named Mark Newman, aged 63 and formerly residing in Laurencekirk, has been handed a seven-year prison sentence after being convicted of multiple serious sexual offences. The conviction followed a detailed trial during which Newman faced five charges, four of which he was found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. These charges included rape, assault with intent to rape a teenage girl, and three separate indecency offences involving two young girls. The crimes spanned over a period of more than fifteen years, from August 1972 to December 1987, and took place across various locations including a residence in Ross-shire, the town of Peterhead, and the city of Aberdeen.

One of the victims, now aged 55, provided a harrowing account of her ordeal. She recounted her fear and trauma, stating, "I was terrified of him, terrified," and described how Newman began abusing her when she was just a young child. She revealed that Newman would often give her sweets or small sums of money as a means of silencing her, a tactic that left her feeling helpless and scared. After years of suffering in silence, she eventually reported the abuse to the police, expressing relief that her voice was finally heard and her suffering acknowledged.

Another victim, who was a teenager at the time of the assault, shared her distressing experience. She explained that the incident occurred at a house in the Bucksburn area of Aberdeen. She was sitting on a sofa with her boyfriend when she heard strange noises at the patio doors. Suddenly, Newman entered through the doors and assaulted her while her boyfriend was leaving the house. She fought him off and screamed for help, fearing that he intended to rape her. Her quick actions allowed her to escape the situation, but the trauma of the assault left a lasting impact.

Newman’s criminal activities were not limited to these incidents. His offences also included a rape that took place at a caravan in Aberdeen sometime between January 1978 and December 1980. Additionally, he attempted to indecently touch a seven-year-old girl at a house in Aberdeen, trying to coax her into touching him while unzipping his trousers. These acts further demonstrated a disturbing pattern of predatory behaviour spanning many years.

During the trial proceedings, Newman vehemently denied all charges, but the evidence presented by the prosecution was compelling and conclusive. The jury found him guilty of the majority of the charges, recognizing a systematic pattern of offending that had persisted over the years. Following his conviction, Newman dismissed the verdict as