January 2017 Hamilton pensioner (74) guilty of child sex abuse A Hamilton pensioner who sexually abused two children almost 60 years’ ago has been brought to justice. John Malone preyed on the youngsters, a girl and a boy, in the town around 1958 when he was a teenager himself. But it was not until 2015, when one of the victims went to police, that Malone was finally snared. Seventy-four-year-old Malone now faces jail after he pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to two charges of using lewd and libidinous conduct. The OAP – who had his bail continued – will learn his learn his fate next month. The girl was aged around eight when she was attacked. Prosecutor Gillian Ross told the court that the girl tried to tell her mum what had happened at the time but was told to “be quiet”. The boy was around the same age when he was abused. He also tried unsuccessfully to reveal to a relative how he had suffered. Two years’ ago the victim – now in his 60s – reported his ordeal to the police. It led to first offender Malone, of Fairhill, being arrested. Judge Tom Hughes adjourned sentencing on Malone for reports.