PETER CLEGG FROM WICK SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS FOR ABUSE IN ORKNEY

A man from Wick, identified as Peter Clegg, has been sentenced to a five-year prison term after being found guilty of a series of heinous crimes involving a young girl. The offences, which spanned over a period of time, included a disturbing pattern of sexual abuse, photographing the victim in compromising situations, and indecent assault.

Peter Clegg, aged 71, was accused of preying on the girl from the tender age of just six years old. The abuse took place at various locations in Orkney, where the young girl was subjected to a wide range of sexual misconduct. The court heard that Clegg's actions included indecent touching, sexual acts, and making sexual remarks directed at the child. Additionally, he took explicit photographs of her, further compounding the severity of his crimes.

The case was brought before the High Court in Edinburgh, where a judge, Lord Sandison, delivered a stern verdict. During the sentencing, Lord Sandison stated, "You subjected her to a wide range of sexual assaults," emphasizing the gravity of Clegg’s actions. The judge also remarked that the offences could not be adequately reflected by any sentence less than imprisonment, underscoring the seriousness with which the court viewed the case.

Prior to this sentencing, Clegg had already been convicted at the High Court in Inverness last year on three counts. These included possession and creation of indecent images of a child, with the offences committed at a location in Orkney between January 2019 and October 2020. He was also convicted of sexually assaulting the girl between January 2019 and September of the following year, during which he indecently touched her, engaged in sexual acts, and made inappropriate sexual remarks.

Following the sentencing, Lord Sandison ordered that Clegg be placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely. The court proceedings were viewed by Clegg via a television link from prison, indicating that he was already in custody at the time of sentencing. The case highlights the disturbing nature of the crimes committed and the judicial system’s response to such serious offences.