Soldier jailed over child abuse

A soldier who molested a boy and a girl in their beds was told by a sheriff he had destroyed their sense of security.

Callum Sandeman, 22, who served with the Black Watch at Fort George, was jailed at Inverness Sheriff Court for 18 months.

He had earlier admitted using lewd, indecent and libidinous behaviour towards the children last November.

His solicitor said on the night Sandeman was drunk "to the point of oblivion".

Sheriff Alexander Pollock said there was no alternative to a prison sentence.

'No excuse'

He told Sandeman, who has been placed on the sex offenders register: "You have pled guilty to very serious charges.

"The sequence of events has involved sexual activity of the more reprehensible kind, not only because of the acts themselves but also because of the place those acts occurred, namely in the children's beds, in their own bedroom where they were entitled to feel safe.

"That sense of security was destroyed on that night by what you did.

"There is also the trauma each of them continued to suffer, for which you must also bear responsibility."

Sheriff Pollock said testimonials presented to the court had shown Sandeman to have been an exemplary member of his regiment.

He added: "That, however, can in no way excuse what you did any more than the substantial amount of alcohol you consumed. Drink in law is no excuse."

The court was earlier told Sandeman entered a house and molested a nine-year-old boy and his seven-year-old sister.

Their father found Sandeman lying in his daughter's bed.

Source: BBC News