January 2013 Pensioner jailed for sex attacks in Dundee more than 40 years ago A pensioner has been jailed for two years for historical sex offences on two young girls. A court heard how Alexander Burns, 62, who took early retirement, abused two young girls more than 40 years ago. The High Court in Edinburgh heard how childish ticking progressed to more serious and intimate groping of one girl, who was about 12 years old when the molesting began. The girl’s sister told how she was 15-years old and asleep in the living room of a house in Dundee when Burns climbed on top of her and began to kiss and fondle her. Burns of Portree Avenue, Broughty Ferry, Dundee, pleaded guilty to two charges of assault with intent to rape dating back to September 1969. Defence advocate Matt Jackson said Burns told him he had “only a fading memory” of what had happened, but that may have been partly to hide his shame. The lawyer said at the time Burns had been under stress and experiencing marriage difficulties. He said: “With the benefit of maturity he is horrified at his own conduct.” Judge Lord Turnbull told Burns sex abuse of children by an adult merited a prison sentence but he could shorten it because Burns had led a blameless life for more than 30 years.