Nairn pervert jailed for sexually assaulting two girls
A former Royal Navy officer who sexually assaulted two girls in his house was jailed for a total of 18 months and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that 67-year-old Gary Powell, a former naval Petty Officer who served during the Falklands conflict, assaulted one girl by repeatedly touching her body and squeezing her breasts between June 1 and 31, 2023.
In a separate incident, the court was told he tickled the other girl’s chest and abdomen on top of her clothing, placed his hand inside her clothing, inside her underwear and touched her private parts between August 18 and 20 the same year.
Powell, of River Park, Nairn admitted both sex offences which involved girls under the age of 16.
When charged by police, Powell admitted one assault but claimed the other was "a pack of lies".
However his defence counsel, Bill Adam told Sheriff Ian Cruickshank: "He now accepts full responsibility for both offences. He has no real recollection of them but accepts they happened."
Sentence had previously been deferred for a background report and Mr Adam added: "He is very sorry and felt profound and utter shame at having to discuss these offences with a stranger."
Mr Adam went on: "He accepts there must be some level of trauma as far as the victims are concerned."
Sheriff Cruickshank told Powell: "There seems to be no explanation as to why these offences were committed. These were young girls at the time and the impact has been considerable. They have had an affect on their mental health and involved some self-harm.
"There is no alternative to a custodial sentence."
