AN 80-YEAR-OLD paedophile who sexually abused a child 50 years ago has been convicted.
Depraved Terence Blackwell, of Castlelaw Crescent, Abernethy, Perth, had denied three counts alleging historical child sex offences.
Despite his protestation of innocence the pensioner was found guilty of all three counts by a jury of six men and six women at Oxford Crown Court today.
Outlining the case at the start of the short trial this week prosecutor Gabrielle McAvock said the offences took place in the 1970s in Oxford.
She said they all involved one child victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Blackwell sexually abused the girl on numerous occasions and the jury was told that the indecent assaults took the form of kissing and sexual touching over clothing.
READ AGAIN: A report from the opening of the trial.
In an interview the victim - who is now a woman - gave with police she described one of the assaults as making her feel 'hideous.'
The woman also described Blackwell's actions as a 'a bit random.'
Before his trial he had already admitted one count of indecency with a child, relating to the same victim, in which he placed her hand on his penis.
After retiring to consider their verdicts this morning jurors took two hours and 37 minutes to reach unanimous guilty verdicts on all three counts.
The final sentencing was adjourned while the National Probation Services completes a report on Blackwell.
Agreeing to adjourn the case presiding Judge Ian Pringle QC warned Blackwell to expect a jail term.
He said: "You are likely to receive an immediate prison sentence of some significance in due course and you should prepare yourself for that."
He was released on bail to await his sentencing hearing, which will take place at the same court on February 27.
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