Care worker jailed for children's homes abuse in Edinburgh and Lanark

A man who went from job to job in care homes abusing children in Edinburgh and Lanark has been jailed for 10 years.

Brian Dailey, 70, assaulted and sexually molested children he was supposed to be looking after during abuse spanning a decade from 1973.

At the High Court in Edinburgh he was earlier found guilty of three indecency offences against boys and a girl and a further two charges of assault.

Dailey was placed on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.

A judge told the pensioner: "You have been convicted of five charges which involve the persistent, calculated, manipulative and predatory sexual abuse of two young boys and one teenage girl in relation to all of whom you were in a clear position of trust."

Stolen childhood

Lord Armstrong said the abuse inflicted on the boys included acts that would now be classified as rape and told the former councillor that he had callously robbed victims of their childhood.

The judge said that he took into account Dailey's current age and that the offences were historical, but added: "Nevertheless these crimes of which you have been convicted are disturbing."

Lord Armstrong said: "In the case of the boys you threatened them to ensure their silence."

Police were first alerted to Dailey as a predator 25 years ago when the girl victim revealed he targeted her for sexual abuse.

He was also investigated over abuse allegations at a different home six years later and reported to prosecutors but no action was taken at the time.

Dailey, from Edinburgh, had originally denied a total of seven charges of indecent behaviour and assault involving five children during his earlier trial.

He was acquitted of two of the indecency charges against two boys on not proven verdicts but was found guilty of the other five offences.

He subjected his first victim to sexual abuse at a home in Lanark in 1973 and 1974 when the boy was aged 10 and 11. He carried out serious sex acts on the child and also attacked him and forced his head under water.

Dailey's second victim was assaulted and sexually abused by him at a residential school run by an order of Catholic nuns in Edinburgh when he was aged seven and eight in 1974.

The third female victim was housed in a local authority children's home in Edinburgh when she was subjected to repeated abuse from the age of 14 in 1982.

Defence counsel Derick Nelson said Dailey had been assessed now as posing a moderate risk of further offending and had health concerns.

He said: "Whatever the sentence imposed today it will, of course, be very difficult for him, particularly at his age."

A spokesman for NSPCC Scotland said: "Justice has finally caught up with Dailey whose abhorrent crimes against a string of young and vulnerable children were not only reprehensible but an appalling abuse of trust.

"We hope his victims will feel some sort of solace following today's sentence.

"Child abuse can have a devastating impact on victims, the ripple effects of which can last long into adulthood.

"It is never too late to speak out and it is vital that people who have suffered despicable abuse at the hands of criminals such as Dailey have the confidence to come forward by knowing that they will be listened to and supported by the authorities."