August 2021: Pender passed away aged 73 from a heart attack February 2017 Paedophile released after serving half sentence A former Scottish rugby international exposed as a paedophile has been released halfway through his prison sentence, leaving his victims devastated. Norman Pender was jailed for six years for sexually abusing two girls over the course of 11 years, ­beginning when they were aged eight and nine. But the shamed sportsman was let out after three years, causing renewed heartache for the scarred survivors. The former prop forward, who was capped four times for Scotland in the 70s, preyed on the girls between April 1986 and October 1997 in Hawick, Roxburghshire. He abused his first victim from the age of eight until she was 19, and started abusing his second victim in 1996 when she was nine. He attacked the second girl between 10 and 15 times over the course of a year. His twisted nature was only revealed to the shocked community when one victim contacted police. Pender was found guilty of three charges of lewd and ­libidinous behaviour and one of sexual assault and sentenced in January 2014. A charge of raping one of the girls was found not proven. Pender went to trial because he denied the rape allegation but told a social worker he had consensual sex with a girl when she was over 16. It is understood that the parole board sanctioned his release despite the ­opposition of at least one victim, and he walked out of Edinburgh’s Saughton Prison on December 16. Pender, 69, refused to admit his guilt, forcing his victims to give evidence at the trial. Asked in the witness stand how often the sexual abuse took place, one victim replied: “Far too many times to count.” A friend of one of the women said yesterday: “The victims cannot live their lives because he is walking about freely after serving half a sentence. “Six years was pitiful for what he did, especially when he got out after three. “There needs to be a change in the law so sex offenders serve their full term. “He made the victims testify during his trial because he wouldn’t admit his guilt. How does that earn the earliest possible release? “He’s never apologised to his victims and is only sorry he got caught. He’s the most arrogant man who’s ever walked the earth. “Pender should’ve suffered like his victims suffered, but that will never be possible. “My friend still has ­nightmares. It’s with her every single day.” The wealthy pervert, a former Hawick RFC player, successful businessman and ex-Lib Dem councillor, has returned to his home in Hawick. January 2014 Ex-Rugby players ‘terrible fall from grace’ A FORMER Hawick and Scotland rugby player has been jailed for six years for sexually abusing two young girls over an 11-year period. Norman Pender, 65, of Cavers, was convicted of three charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour and one of sexual assault. A charge of raping one of the girls was found not proven. The offences were committed at various address in Hawick in the 1980s and 1990s. Pender forced his victims to give evidence. But at Paisley High Court this morning it emerged that he admitted sexually abusing the girls. He went to trial because he denied the rape allegation, but admitted to social workers he had sex with one of the girls when she was over 16, and claimed it was consensual. Jailing Pender, Judge Lord Stewart told him: “This is a terrible fall from grace. “These were innocent victims and you were in a position of trust. There seems to be an unfounded belief in some quarters that you are completely innocent and these girls made up these allegations.” One of his victims, now aged 35, said in evidence that she repeatedly told Pender “no” and tried to fight him off, but he was too strong. She added: “I felt dirty, sick, lonely and ashamed. I knew it was wrong. He told me not to say anything. I was scared to tell anyone. “He said that I was a child and that nobody would believe me. I tried to stop him doing what he was doing, but he just did it anyway. I was terrified of annoying him because when he kicked off I was terrified of him.” When asked by advocate depute Alison Di Rollo, prosecuting: how often the sexual abuse took place, she replied: “Far too many times to count.” Pender abused his second victim, who is now 26, from the age of 10 for a year. He sexually abused her between 10 and 15 times. In evidence, she said she told him to stop, but he didn’t. He just told her not to say anything to anyone about what had taken place. Pender served as a Lib Dem councillor on Scottish Borders Council between 1998 and 2003. He was also chairman ofthe Hawick Lady Riders Association and campaigned for women to ride in the town’s Common Riding Festival. The prop forward, who was capped for his country in the 1970s and played for Hawick, preyed on the young girls between April 1986 and October 1997. He abused his first victim starting when she was eight until 19 and started abusing his second victim in January 1996 when she was aged just nine. Pender, a former councillor with Scottish Borders Council, is a first offender. The abuse came to light when one of his victims went to the police. Prosecutor Ms Di Rollo, who is head of the National Sexual Crimes Unit, said in her speech to the jury: “This trial has shone a light on dark and disturbing secrets. These secrets now have been told. What Mr Pender did was desperately and wholly wrong. By silencing his two victims in a climate of fear he suceeded in the callous and calculated abuse of two girls. Pender did not give evidence in court, but claimed that both his victims had made up lies about him. Defence solicitor, advocate Iain Paterson, said that his client had been an asset to society and had raised tens of thousands of pounds for worthy causes Mr Paterson added: “The reason he went to trial was the rape allegation against him.” Pender was placed on the sex offenders’register. December 2013 Ex-Scotland rugby player Norman Pender guilty of sex abuse of children A former Scottish rugby international from the Borders has been found guilty of sexually abusing two young girls in the 1980s and 1990s. Norman Pender, 65, of Hawick, carried out the offences at various addresses in the town over an 11-year period. A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh also found him guilty of three charges of lewd and libidinous behaviour. A verdict of not proven was returned on an allegation that he repeatedly raped one of the women. The court heard how Pender, who was capped for his country in the 1970s, preyed on the women between April 1986 and October 1997. One of his victims – who cannot be identified for legal reasons – told the court that the abuse started when she was eight years old and continued until she was 19. He started abusing his second victim in January 1996 when she was aged just nine – it continued until she was 11. The court heard Pender – a former councillor with Scottish Borders Council – was a first offender. Defence solicitor, advocate Iain Paterson, asked judge Lord Stewart to continue his client’s bail. He said he wanted to spend time with his sick wife and his mother, who is in her 90s. However, Lord Stewart refused and remanded Pender in custody saying it would not be in the interests of justice for him to remain at liberty. He deferred sentence to next month in order for the court to obtain character reports and warned that jail time would be a “probable” outcome. “I am going to revoke bail,” the judge said. “You have been convicted of some very serious offences.” Pender had denied all the charges against him. He was placed on the sex offenders register and will be sentenced at the High Court in Paisley next month.