NORMAN SHAW JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE IN PERTH: EX-FOOTBALL COACH SENTENCED FOR CHILD OFFENCES
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Perth community, Norman Shaw, an 84-year-old former football coach, has been sentenced to nine years in prison for the sexual abuse of three young boys during his time coaching a children's team called Perth Rovers.The crimes, which spanned over a decade from August 1979 to December 1989, came to light after two of Shaw's victims came forward to police in 2016, prompting a thorough investigation that ultimately led to his arrest and conviction.
Shaw's history of offending was well-documented, as he had previously served two separate jail sentences for sexual offences.
His latest conviction was handed down at the High Court in Edinburgh, where the court heard harrowing details of his abuse.
During the sentencing, Shaw appeared visibly shaken, shaking his head in disbelief as the judge, Lady Clark, delivered her verdict.
The judge emphasized the gravity of Shaw's actions, stating, "A lengthy custodial sentence in this case is inevitable.
You used your position as a football coach to abuse the complainants in this case — you must bear responsibility for that.
Their lives have been devastated by your actions." Shaw had pleaded guilty to the charges at the previous court hearing, but the sentencing was deferred to allow for reports on his character.
The court was informed that Shaw's first victim was only three years old when the abuse began, highlighting the disturbing nature of his crimes.
Prosecutor Margaret Barron detailed how Shaw, who was coaching boys involved with Perth Rovers for approximately ten years, exploited his position to gain access to the children and their families.
She explained that Shaw would visit the boys' homes and even befriended their families, creating an environment where he could carry out his abuse.
One of the victims, who was six years old when the abuse started in January 1980, endured repeated assaults by Shaw in Perth over a period of five years, until January 1985.
The court heard that Shaw's misconduct extended to another boy, aged 11 at the time, whom he began abusing between August 1985 and December 1989.
During this period, Shaw would invite the boy and other children to his home, where they would watch television and play computer games.
However, the situation took a darker turn when the victim noticed that, after matches and training sessions, it was often only he and Shaw at the coach's residence.
The sexual abuse commenced before Christmas 1985 and continued regularly until 1989.
The court was also informed that one of Shaw's victims attempted to take his own life in 1991, a tragic consequence of the trauma inflicted by Shaw.
Throughout the proceedings, Shaw's legal representative, Niall McCluskey, acknowledged his client's remorse, stating, "He knows he has crossed a line.
There’s an expression of remorse." Despite this, Lady Clark made it clear that the only appropriate sentence was imprisonment, and she also ordered Shaw to be placed on the Sex Offenders Register for an indefinite period, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
