JOHN BUSHNELL AND LEVEN: 81-YEAR-OLD ADMITTED TO CHILD SEX ABUSE OVER TWO DECADES

An 81-year-old man named John Bushnell has confessed to sexually abusing seven children over a 20-year period from 1955 to 1975 in the Leven area.

Bushnell exhibited lewd and indecent behavior towards his victims. Notably, two of these children, a boy and a girl, were subjected to abuse starting at the age of just four.

During proceedings at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, procurator fiscal depute Ronnie Hay stated that multiple times, Bushnell told one of the boys to 'lie down for a tickle' before engaging in a sexual act over him. The survivor described the impact of these events as severe, revealing that he later experienced suicidal thoughts and was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. He also shared that he still suffers from flashbacks and nightmares.

Bushnell's offenses included inappropriate touching of five children under their clothing, while two others were molested over their clothing. One particularly disturbing incident involved Bushnell performing a sexual act in front of a girl, underscoring the heinous nature of his crimes.

The court heard that Bushnell pleaded guilty to seven charges related to his indecent behavior and abuse of the children. Sheriff Robert More indicated that imprisonment is likely, considering the gravity of the crimes despite the passage of time. He was granted bail and is scheduled to appear again for sentencing on January 20.

Bushnell has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register, with the length of his registration to be decided at sentencing.