>>>16756045 (You), >>16756050 (You), >>16756055 (You), >>16756055 (You), >>16841213 (You) Former top Scots lawyer convicted of historical sex abuse against four children
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-62466734
Former prosecutor John Watt QC jailed for abusing children
9th August 2022.
A former Scottish prosecutor has been jailed for 10 years for sexually abusing four young children more than four decades ago.
John Watt QC, who was also a criminal defence lawyer, preyed on three young girls and a boy over a 14-year period.
The 72-year-old had been extradited from the United States to stand trial in July.
Judge Lord Braid told Watt he had committed "vile" crimes of the "utmost seriousness and depravity."
Watt was also put on the sex offenders register for an indeterminate period.
Former Scots QC guilty of abusing four children
Last month, Watt was found guilty of one charge of rape, one of indecent assault and three of indecent conduct committed at houses in the Edinburgh area between September 1973 and August 1987.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Braid said: "In each case the offences have had a profound and life-changing effect on the victims."
The judge said that Watt continued to maintain his innocence over the abuse and added that perhaps explained why he had not demonstrated any remorse or empathy for his victims.
Lord Braid said: "In your role as advocate depute (Crown Office prosecutor) you prosecuted the very type of offence of which you have now been convicted."
Abuse at gatherings
Watt raped a girl under the age of 12 at an address in the west end of Edinburgh.
Two other girls were later molested by him in their beds at a house in Edinburgh and a 10-year-old boy was subjected to sexual abuse at an address in Leith in 1987.
The court previously heard that a number of the victims had relatives who were also legal figures at the time.
During his trial, Watt pinned the blame on a now dead lawyer for attacks on one of the girls.
The female rape victim told the trial that her father, who was also a lawyer, took her to see Watt at a house in Edinburgh. The woman, now aged 55, said: "I did things to the man which he made me do."
Two sisters told the trial how their lawyer father often hosted gatherings at their home where Watt and others would be present.
One described waking up to find Watt at her bedside before he got in beside her and began touching her inappropriately.
Her sister saw him in the bed and recalled being "frightened", but the advocate then turned on her and subjected her to abuse.
The court heard that their father had subsequently reported Watt to a senior lawyer, who later became a judge, instead of going to police.
The male victim told the court: "I was raped by John Watt. I remember him coming in the room and I remember him telling me to turn over." Watt was meant to be looking after the boy while his parents were away.