SNS GroupA man who preyed on vulnerable children over two decades put vodka into a baby’s bottle moments before sexually assaulting her, a court has heard.
Ian Whyte, 62, carried out the attack during a campaign of abuse against youngsters in Edinburgh between December 1978 and May 1998.
A jury at the High Court heard evidence about how, in one incident which took place on an occasion between September 1982 and September 1983, Whyte was seen putting alcohol into a bottle.
The jurors then heard that the baby, who had also been born in September 1982, consumed the bottle, and Whyte then sexually assaulted her.
The assault was just one of many attacks which took place at locations in the Scottish capital. Jurors heard evidence about how Whyte carried out sexual assaults and rapes on other children.
The court also heard that Whyte was confronted about his behaviour by concerned onlookers. He told them: “So what?”
However, in recent years police started investigating Whyte, of Broughton, Edinburgh, and gathered enough evidence to bring him to court.
He spent proceedings in Edinburgh denying any wrongdoing and claimed his victims had told lies about him.
However, a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh found him guilty on nine charges of sexual assault and rape.
The jurors then discovered that Whyte had previously served four years in the late 1990s for other sexual assaults.
Judge Thomas Welsh KC told Whyte that he was going to jail for his crimes.
He added: “You have been found guilty by the jury of a shocking catalogue of grave and serious crimes against children.
“You are now placed in the Sex Offenders Register and you will be remanded in custody.”
The jury heard how Whyte’s offending began in December 1978 when he sexually assaulted a four-year-old boy. He continued to abuse the child for another four years.
He targeted the baby girl in the early 1980s and the court heard how raped a nine-year-old girl on an occasion between September 1982 and September 1983.
The court heard that Whyte raped a 12-year-old girl on occasion between September 1982 and September 1983. He also subjected her to an indecent assault.
The court also heard that on an occasion between May 1983 and May 1985, Whyte provided a 13-year-old girl with solvents and whilst she was intoxicated from taking them, he struck her on the face with his hand and attempted to rape her.
On various occasions between November 1995 and May 1998, Whyte forced a six-year-old girl to watch pornography before sexually assaulting her.
He also raped this child and physically assaulted her with a belt.
The court heard evidence that Whyte made some of his victims play a game called “mummies and daddies” before abusing them.
Whyte, who sat throughout his trial in a wheelchair, denied all wrongdoing and claimed he was an innocent man.
When defence advocate Gail Gianni asked him about the evidence given to the court by the complainers, he replied: “It’s lies. It’s all lies.”
During his closing speech, prosecutor Ruaraidh Ferguson, told jurors that there was enough evidence to convict Whyte of wrongdoing.
He added: “You can be satisfied of the accused’s guilt to a high standard – beyond that of reasonable doubt.”
Mr Ferguson said that the accused had been confronted by people who learned of his abuse.
He added: “You heard he said ‘so what’? Do you think that response points to the actions of somebody who is innocent of any wrongdoing?
“The accused was also observed putting vodka into [a child’s] milk bottle.
“He is a serial abuser of children.”
Ms Gianni told jurors that they should acquit her client. However, jurors returned guilty verdicts.
Judge Welsh deferred sentence to obtain a background report about Whyte.
He added: “The report will assess the risk you presently pose to children and young people.”
Ms Gianni said she’d reserve her mitigation until the sentencing hearing.
Whyte will be sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh next month.
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