Man jailed for sexual abuse of six children over three decades

Raymond Oldham - jailed for 10 years for sexual offences against children over a 33-year period

A man who sexually abused children in Fife and East Lothian over a 33-year period has been jailed.

Raymond Oldham was sentenced to ten years behind bars after admitting six charges of sexual abuse at the High Court in Glasgow last month.

Police described him as a “prolific offender who committed the most disgraceful crimes.”

Oldham was the subject of police inquiries years before after victims’ came forward but on one occasion a procurator fiscal decided not to proceed with the case and on another he was acquitted in court.

He remained at liberty to perpetrate further abuse, but when he showed acquaintances pictures on his phone including indecent images of children one of them contacted police sparking an extensive investigation dubbed Operation Croaker.

Oldham of Peddie Street, Dundee, admitted committing six offences of indecent behaviour and rape between 1983 and 2016 against five boys and a girl in Cupar, Methil and Leven, as well as Musselburgh and Tranent, in East Lothian, and Dalkeith in Midlothian.

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Detective Sergeant Graeme Dursley of Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit said: “Oldham targeted vulnerable young people and abused a position of trust he held with them.

“He is a prolific offender who committed the most disgraceful crimes. It is thanks to the courage of the victims that Oldham will now face the consequences of his actions.

“We welcome the sentencing today and hope that the victims can take some comfort knowing Oldham will spend a considerable amount of time in prison.”

A judge told him at the High Court in Edinburgh: “You have been convicted on your own plea of a series of sexual offences against young children and in particular against young boys.”

Lord Boyd of Duncansby said: “All of the victims must have been traumatised by what has happened. You have an obvious and admitted sexual attraction to male children and teenagers.”

The judge said that the sex offender had no real empathy or understanding of the psychological impact his actions had on victims.

He ordered that Oldham be kept under supervision for a further six year period and told him he would be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.