August 2014 Child rapist in Fife jailed for nine years for multiple rape of a girl and sex abuse of boy Ronald Smith, 71, sexually assaulted a boy and raped a girl three times in the 1970s in his hometown of Kirkcaldy. Smith had denied charges of sexual assault, rape and assault with intent to rape but was found guilty of four offences. A judge at the High Court in Edinburgh said the evidence showed his victims had “suffered gravely”. Lord Pentland told Smith at the High Court in Edinburgh: “It is no exaggeration to say that what you did to each of them has cast a long, dark shadow over their lives for many years.” The judge said Smith must have thought, as the years passed, that his abuse would not be uncovered and told him: “You have now, at last, been brought to justice.” ‘Burning anger’ A 58-year-old victim described the abuse he suffered from Smith as “horrible” and “painful”. The man, who estimated he was 13 or 14 when he was targeted by Smith, said he had woken to find his attacker with his hand over his mouth. “I didn’t understand what was happening to me,” he told the court. Smith also raped a girl aged between seven and 11 on three occasions at a house in Kirkcaldy between 1975 and 1979. Advocate depute Bill McVicar told jurors that both victims had “endured decades of burning anger and upset”. Defence counsel Shelagh McCall said of Smith: “He is a man who has had a long-term, stable employment record and continued to be in employment until these current proceedings.” She urged the judge to accept that the risk of further offending of that type was “slim”. Miss McCall said a background report prepared on Smith had raised some medical issues, but Lord Pentland said he had to proceed on the basis that he would receive proper medical care in the prison system. Lord Pentland said he accepted Smith had no previous convictions and had been of good character since the offences were committed. He told him he would be on the sex offenders’ register for the rest of his life. July 2014 Kirkcaldy pensioner facing jail after horrific sex attacks carried out 30 years ago A child rapist was warned he faced a lengthy jail sentence this week after he was convicted of appalling sex crimes committed more than 30 years ago. Ronald Smith (71), sexually assaulted a boy and raped a girl three times in the 1970s in his hometown of Kirkcaldy. A judge told the pensioner at the High Court in Edinburgh on Monday that in view of the “appalling circumstances” of his crimes it was inevitable that he would impose “a substantial custodial penalty”. Lord Pentland told jurors at Smith’s case that it had been “a harrowing and distressing trial”. Smith, a first offender, of Dunearn Drive, Kirkcaldy, had denied charges of sexual assault, rape and assault with intent to rape but was found guilty of four offences. One victim of the sex abuser told the court: “I have had to suppress this for 44 years.” The 58-year-old described the abuse he suffered from Smith as “horrible” and “painful”. The man, who estimated he was 13 or 14 when he was targeted by Smith, said he had awoken to find his attacker with his hand over his mouth. “I didn’t understand what was happening to me,” he told the court. He said as an older teenager he had confronted Smith. “I just hated him for what he had done to me,” he said. On a later occasion he was prosecuted for breach of the peace. He said: “I went really wild. “I was going to batter him that night.” He was asked if he had given a statement to police after the incident and said: “No.” He added: “He got to lie in a comfy bed and I was in the cells.” Smith also raped a girl aged between seven and 11 on three occasions at a house in Kirkcaldy between 1975 and 1979. On one occasion the victim was pushed onto the floor and pinned there as he brutalised her. Advocate depute Bill McVicar told jurors that both victims had “endured decades of burning anger and upset.” Smith was placed on the sex offenders’ register following his conviction. He was remanded in custody for the preparation of a background report and is due to be sentenced for the offences in August.