Man guilty of abusing girl at pool

Blyth Stevenson (67)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 was found guilty of two charges after a jury trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, dating between August 1988 ans August 1993.

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.

“I couldn’t leave the house and at times it felt like it wasn’t worth it any more, this life,” she said, describing her ordeal as “a nightmare”.

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 August 7.