Bonnybridge man jailed for 12 years for rape and child sex abuse

John Ballantyne carried out the indecent acts from 1977 until 2018, at addresses in Bonnybridge, Dennyloanhead and Moodiesburn, starting when one of the complainers was five years old.

A jury heard the rape happened after Ballantyne tried but failed to have sex with the woman as she fought ferociously to push him off.

Her son, who was around nine-years-old at the time in 1989, gave evidence that he heard his mum shouting: ‘No! Get off me!” and saw Ballantyne naked on top of her.

Ballantyne, 60, of Bonnybridge, was sentenced at Edinburgh High Court today.

In addition to the punishment part of his prison sentence he was told he would remain on licence and subject to recall to prison for four years following his eventual release from custody.

A jury at the High Court in Livingston earlier returned majority verdicts convicting Ballantyne of the rape and 11 other offences after listening to a catalogue complaints of of sexual abuse against five young children.

The court was told his course of criminal sexual conduct spanned almost four decades between 1977 and 2016.

Ballantyne, a grandfather, was convicted of groping and exposing himself to a young girl at an address in Moodiesburn, North Lanarkshire, when she was aged between five and seven.

He was also found guilty of exposing himself in a sexual manner to another under-age schoolgirl when she was aged from ten upwards.

In addition to abusing the under-age girls, Ballantyne was found guilty of indecently assaulting a young boy at an address in Bonnybridge, when the youngster was aged between seven and ten.

He was also convicted of sexually abusing a second young boy aged between nine and 11.

The jury also found Ballantyne guilty of a further charge of intentionally causing the youngster to engage in sexual activity by directing him to kiss and fondle three under-age girls in a sexual manner at an address in Stirlingshire.

The monster was also convicted of raping the woman in Bonnybridge between January 1, 1989 and December 31, 1990.

Giving evidence in his own defence, Ballantyne flatly denied all the allegations and claimed the accounts of him inviting the youngsters to join him in bed while he was naked could not be true.

As a result of his convictions, Ballantyne was told, his name will remain on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely.

Following the sentencing, Detective Sergeant David Brown from Larbert Police Station said: “We welcome the sentencing of John Ballantyne, who has shown himself to be a dangerous individual who has indiscriminately offended against females and males, both adults and children, over a number of decades. His offending has had a significant and lasting impact on the lives of his victims. Today’s sentencing ensures that he faces the consequences of his actions.

"I would like to commend the men and women who came forward to report Ballantyne’s crimes, for their bravery and resilience throughout this process. I hope the conviction and sentencing can help them move forward with their lives.

"Anyone who wants to report crime can contact Police Scotland on 101.”