Abuser owning up a 'brave step'

Skeates had used a different name when he lived in Inverness

A man who indecently assaulted a girl during a game he told her "mums and dads play" has been jailed for seven years at the High Court in Glasgow.

Raymond Skeates, 58, abused the 10-year-old at his home in Inverness in 1993. His victim reported her ordeal to police in April 2007.

Skeates, who later moved to Merseyside, had earlier admitted to attempted rape.

Susan Duff, defending, said: "He took a brave step in owning up when other people rarely do."

She said Skeates was "terribly ashamed" and "regrets what he did every second of every day".

Started raining

The court had earlier heard the assault happened after the youngster had come indoors to play to get out of the rain.

She had been playing in the garden of Skeates' home with a young boy and another girl.

When it started raining, the three went inside and headed to a bedroom.

Skeates came in and said they would play a game.

One of the girls was told to hide in a toy box, while the victim and the boy were asked to strip and get into bed.

Alistair Carmichael, prosecuting, said the victim was frightened and tried to keep on her underwear.

Skeates indecently assaulted the girl before getting into the bed with her and attacking her again.

He later told the young boy that this was their secret.

Skeates could initially not be traced because at the time of the offence he used the name Wilcox and had moved to Birkenhead, Merseyside. He was traced last year.

Judge Lord Brailsford also put Skeates on the sex offenders' register.

He said the term would have been eight years but for his guilty plea.