Brave Child Sex Abuse Victim Foils Paedophile Pensioner's Suicide Bid Hours Before Court Case

Thomas Hutton is starting a lengthy jail term after finally admitting the offences

The Mirror
BY JAMIE BEATSON

Twisted OAP Thomas Hutton first tried to gas himself with car exhaust
fumes and when that failed he "swallowed every pill in his house"

A brave child sex abuse victim got justice after foiling her abuser's suicide bid hours before he was due in court.

Thomas Hutton was jailed for almost five years and placed on the sex offender's register for life after admitting 12 charges detailing horrific sexual abuse of five girls and boys over the course of almost 10 years.

Dundee Sheriff Court heard Hutton had tried to take his life 36 hours before he was due in court to admit the charge.

The twisted 78-year-old first tried to gas himself with car exhaust fumes and when that failed he "swallowed every pill in his house", reports the Daily Record.

But his attempt to take his own life failed after he posted a suicide note through the door of one of his victims as well as his lawyer.

The girl found the letter, read it and immediately contacted police - who found Hutton and rushed him to hospital for treatment.

Now the paedophile pensioner is starting a lengthy jail term after finally admitting the offences, which targeted victims aged between three and 12 over a period of more than nine years.

Hutton's horrendous abuse began in 2005 - but was only stopped in August of last year when his first victim came forward.

Dundee Sheriff Court

Hutton was caught after one of the girls he targeted became upset when she was told she'd be seeing him - and told her parents of the abuse she had suffered.

That led to the other four victims coming forward before Hutton confessed.

Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie told the court that the abuse began in 2005 against a girl aged just six.

Hutton showed the girl a film that contained scenes of a sexual nature before having her carry out a sex act on him.

The abuse of that girl lasted six years - with Hutton carrying out a series of sick attacks.

In other incidents Hutton carried out sex acts on himself in her presence - as well as exposing himself to her.

Around the same time Hutton targeted another young girl - this time aged 11 - and again had her carry out sex acts on him.

The serial attacker then moved on to another girl, this time aged seven when the abuse started - and had her strip off for him before carrying out a series of horrific sex acts on her over the course of almost two years.

The brazen beast later carried out sex attacks on one of his victims in front of another girl.

That girl, who was also aged seven, was also one of his victims and was targeted over the course of three and a half years.

Then, in 2014, Hutton turned his attention on a 12-year-old boy.

Between March 1 and August 31 that year Hutton exposed himself to the boy and had the youngster carry out sex acts on him.

The depraved pensioner then carried out sex acts on him during the horrific attacks.

Hutton, of Park Road, Dundee, pleaded guilty on indictment to three charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour, four of sexual assault and five under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act.

Defence solicitor George Donnelly said "there could be no mitigation" for the abuse Hutton carried out.

He said: "The offences ought to have never been committed.

"There's nothing that can be said that begins to justify or explain it in any way.

"Given all this and the complete and utter lack of mitigation he attempted suicide.

"This was not a simple cry for help. He tried on two occasions - first by inhalation of exhaust fumes.

"He went back home and swallowed, he tells me, every tablet in the house.

"It was the family of the victim that saved his life after he put a letter through their door - and my office - indicating what his intentions were.

"One of the girls found that letter and went to the police and they found him and took him to hospital. It was a genuine attempt to end his life.

"That was done simply because he couldn't believe what he had done and what he was to plead guilty to."

This is not an unusual occurrence when a paedophile 'wakes-up' to realize just how depraved he really is. For me, it is confirmation of demonic possession. It's like being in a dream, then, when the jig is up, the demon leaves for someone else who has opened themselves up for invasion through drugs or pornography or who knows what.

Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC jailed Hutton for four years and ten months, ordered he serve an extended sentence of four years' supervision in the community upon his release and placed him on the sex offender's register indefinitely.

She said: "It's clear to me that the children must have suffered ongoing and serious abuse at your hands and you have betrayed their trust.

"It does seem to me clear that you present an ongoing risk of harm to children.

"In all these circumstances I have a duty to impose a significant period of custody and an extended sentence.

"I have to mark society's revulsion and abhorrence to these offences."

Then why, Sherriff Lorna, did you only sentence him to 4 years 10 months? If that's the maximum sentence for Hutton's crimes, then the laws in Scotland are far too inadequate to deal with the rapidly growing problem.