Football coach abused young boys

The court heard that Martin had abused the boys between 1989 and 1997

A former youth football coach and school janitor who sexually abused two boys has been jailed for 21 months.

Steven Martin, 49, a former caretaker at Menstrie Primary School in Clackmannanshire, carried out two assaults on an eight-year-old boy.

Alloa Sheriff Court heard he also abused an 11-year-old boy as he stayed the night at the coach's home.

Martin, of Park Street in Tillicoutry, carried out the abuse between 1989 and 1997.

He was caught after the partner of one of his victims contacted police.

The court was told that his first victim grew up suffering from anxiety attacks and abused drugs and alcohol while at secondary school.

Fiscal depute Keri Marshall said that Martin was the coach of an Alloa-based juvenile football team when he abused the eight-year-old boy, between May 1989 and September 1992.

He would regularly take his first victim to matches, and often had players from the team as well as his victim stay the night at his home, sleeping either on the floor of Martin's bedroom or in his bed.

The court heard that during one of the attacks, Martin's victim woke up - only for Martin to close his eyes and pretend to be asleep.

'Supervised release'

His 11-year-old victim was abused between March 1994 and March 1997.

He was sleeping on a camp bed in Martin's living room when he became aware of his attacker assaulting him as he slept. Again Martin pretended to be asleep.

He told social workers and psychiatrists preparing background reports ahead of his sentencing that the incidents were "accidents".

Martin admitted two charges of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards the eight and 11-year-old boys.

Sheriff Maxwell Hendry said he would appear on the sex offender's register for 10 years.

He told Martin, a first offender: "I have to balance your lack of previous convictions with the effect on the remainder of these two person's lives and how they were affected by your conduct.

"I have come to the view that there is no option other than to send you to prison. The period will be 21 months.

"There is a risk of harm after you are released - so you will be under supervised release for 10 months after you leave jail."

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