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Wick man Ernest Watt jailed at High Court in Glasgow for abuse of three children


By Court Reporter

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Wick man Ernest Watt was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday.
Wick man Ernest Watt was sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow on Tuesday.

A Caithness man who abused three young children was jailed on Tuesday for eight years.

Ernest Watt's offences took place at properties in Wick between January 2011 and February 2017.

He raped one boy and abused another boy and a girl.

Watt (48) also carried out further physical assaults on the children which included striking them on the body with a belt and pushing one of the boys on a bed.

He was found guilty after trial at the High Court in Glasgow of rape, sexual assaults and physical abuse against the victims.

Lord Armstrong also put Watt on an extended sentence for a further four years upon his release from prison.

The judge said: “You were in a clear position of trust and the crimes were committed against children.

“During this period, you repeatedly assaulted them in your house.

“You are 48 and you have a record which spans from 1991 to 2017 which comprises of 37 previous convictions.

“You continue to deny responsibility for your conduct for the charges you were found guilty of.

“You lied about what you did to them and you appear to have a lack of empathy or reason.

"You are dismissive towards the victims in this case.

“Society feels abhorrence for crimes against children and this court needs to show that.”

Watt, of Wick, was also put on the sex offenders register for an indefinite period.

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