GARY DUNN FROM ROTHES SENTENCED TO 13 YEARS FOR ABUSE IN MORAY AND ABERDEEN

In a recent and highly disturbing case, Gary Dunn, a man from Rothes, was sentenced to a lengthy prison term of 13 years after being convicted of multiple heinous crimes involving the sexual abuse and rape of three young girls. The offences spanned over two decades, with Dunn preying on victims at various locations including Moray and Aberdeen, highlighting a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior that has left a lasting impact on those affected.

During the sentencing hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lady Poole emphasized the severity of Dunn’s crimes, describing them as 'appalling offences' that involved a series of depraved acts committed against vulnerable children. The judge made it clear that child sexual abuse is an abhorrent crime that society will not tolerate, and she condemned Dunn’s actions as deeply reprehensible. The court heard that Dunn’s victims endured numerous acts of depravity, carried out solely for his gratification, which caused profound trauma and suffering.

Gary Dunn, who was 61 years old at the time of sentencing, had previously denied the charges but was found guilty after a trial. The court established that his criminal activities began in 1998 and continued until 2019, during which he assaulted three girls. His crimes included rape, indecency, and other sexual offences. The victims’ impact statements, presented to the court, painted a distressing picture of the lasting damage inflicted by Dunn. One woman, who was molested and assaulted by Dunn as a child, recounted a particularly harrowing experience where she was subjected to a painful sexual assault. She revealed that she was so overwhelmed by the trauma that she hoped to suffocate and die, describing her feelings of despair and numbness.

Now aged 32, she explained that she believed she was around 13 or 14 years old at the time of the abuse. When asked about her feelings after the incident, she responded that she felt sore and numb, simply wishing for the ordeal to end. The court also heard that Dunn had previously preyed on her, instructing her to close her eyes during the abuse, which added to her sense of helplessness.

The most recent abuse occurred in 2018 and 2019, when Dunn sexually assaulted a girl from the age of 10. He simulated sex acts and raped her during this period. Additionally, he had molested another girl between 2003 and 2006, touching her and simulating sex, further demonstrating a long-standing pattern of predatory behavior.

At his trial, Dunn appeared in the dock with the aid of two walking sticks, and his defense counsel, Bill Adam, highlighted his age and declining health, suggesting that his physical condition made prison life particularly difficult for him. Despite these mitigating factors, Lady Poole ordered that Dunn be placed under supervision for an additional three years following his release and mandated that he be registered on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his activities to protect the community from further harm.