Man, 69, guilty of abusing girls

Cummings was convicted following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh

A 69-year-old man has been convicted of sexually abusing two young girls almost 40 years ago.

George Cummings was found guilty after a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh for preying on the youngsters while looking after them in the 1970s.

He began abusing one of the girls when she was aged just three and went on abusing her for another six years.

Cummings, from Grangemouth, subjected his other young victim to five years of abuse which began when she was six.

He was found guilty of sexually assaulting one girl and using lewd and libidinous behaviour towards the other.

The jury returned not proven verdicts on allegations he molested two other girls on various occasions between 1970 and 1979.

Wheelchair-user Cummings, of Westerton Road in Grangemouth, was accompanied to court by his nurse.

He had been on bail throughout the proceedings and has been allowed to remain at liberty until he is sentenced next month.

'Likely disposal'

Judge Roger Craik said: "Although three of the charges against you have been found not proven, two have been found proven.

"These are serious matters which the court is really going to have to consider.

"Given your age and the fact there has been little in the way of previous offending you can be released on bail."

He told Cummings to surrender his passport to police by Monday.

Cummings abused the girls when he was living in the town's Forth Street and Kerse Road between 1971 and 1977.

His victims, now aged 40 and 42, gave evidence against him during the trial.

Upon leaving court following the conviction, one of the women said: "Both of us are very relieved."

Cummings, who is retired, had been charged with trying to rape one of the girls but this was reduced to an assault charge.

A charge alleging he raped a 12-year-old girl was also withdrawn.

Defence counsel Sarah Livingstone said divorced Cummings has no friends.

She said he needed time to sort out his house before being sentenced.

"He's aware of the likely disposal in this case," she added.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version