Young girl was sexually abused at Fife swimming pools
A Kirkcaldy man has been found guilty of sexually abusing a young girl over a five-year period.
Blyth Stevenson groped the girl as she swam in public swimming pools.
The abuse began when the girl was 11-years-old and took place in a house in Glenrothes and two leisure centres in the area.
The impact on the victim has left her feeling suicidal at times.
Stevenson (67) was found guilty of two charges after a jury trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
On various occasions between 6th August 1988 and 5th August 1989 at a house in Glenrothes he used lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards a girl, then aged 11.
On various occasions between 6th August 1989 and 5th August 1993, at a house in Glenrothes and at leisure centres in Kirkcaldy and Glenrothes, he used lewd, indecent and libidinous practices against the same girl, which included repeatedly seizing her foot and rubbing it against his private parts and seizing and squeezing her breasts.
The victim told the trial that when she would threaten to tell an adult about the abuse, Stevenson would laugh and see they would not believe her. “He just thought it was funny,” she added.
The woman said she would be taken to the swimming pools at Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy and while she was playing in the water, Stevenson would grab her by the breasts.
It was January 2015 before the victim told a relative about what had happened to her as a child and later that year she reported the matter to the police.
The abuse and the trauma of telling relatives about it has had a devastating effect on the victim, she told the court.
She said after telling the relative she was off work for six months. “I couldn’t leave the house and at times it felt like it wasn’t worth it any more, this life.”
The witness became upset during her evidence and described her ordeal as “a nightmare” adding “everything is just broken”.
Sheriff Charles MacNair called for reports and bail was continued. Stevenson was placed on the sex offenders register and will return to court for sentencing on 7th August.
