Brian Newman jailed for abusing boys at children's home

A man who sexually abusing boys at a children's home in Ayrshire has been jailed for 13 years.

Brian Newman, 58, from Kilmarnock, was convicted of 10 charges of indecency and sexual assault against six boys at the home during the 1990s.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard he was caught after victims came forward following the Jimmy Savile scandal.

Judge Lord Glennie told Newman he had been in a position of trust at the home and had abused it "horrendously".

"You were put in a position of trust, particularly grave trust, given the background of the children you were supposed to be looking after," Lord Glennie said.

"You abused that trust horrendously."

The judge said that young people had looked to the children's home "as a place of safety".

Lord Glennie said he had read testimonials sent to the court by family and acquaintances of Newman that paid tribute to him as "a loving, caring, family man of the highest integrity".

But he added: "It is clear there is another side to you your family and friends are not aware of."

The judge said the sentence imposed on Newman had to reflect the seriousness of the offences and "the appalling breach of trust".

He also placed Newman on the sex offenders register.

The trail heard how a police investigation into Newman's activities began after his first victim contacted police in 2012 amid publicity over the Jimmy Savile scandal.

The victim had been 13 when he was abused at the home between October 1991 and March 1992.

Newman had gone into his private bedroom and molested him and made inappropriate sexual remarks.

Other victims described how they got on well with Newman but were later left with feelings of confusion, shame and embarrassment after they were exploited by him.

With some boys there had been an escalation in the abuse, moving on from touching to sex acts.

Some youngsters were given sweets and cigarettes and others were subjected to threats by the care worker.

Newman, a grandfather, who previously worked in another children's home in Ayrshire during the 1980s, said he was "hands on" but denied abusing the children.