He appeared to be a hard-working family man, but he hid a dark and disturbing secret

A pedophile subjected a boy to months of sexual abuse.

Alexander Laidlaw appeared to be a respectable and hard-working family man whose job took him all over the country. But he secretly subjected his victim to repeated attacks and even now continues to maintain his innocence and remains unrepentant.

A trial at Liverpool Crown Court, prosecuted by Jamie Baxter, heard that the 63-year-old sexually assaulted the primary school-aged boy on several occasions by touching his penis over his clothes. His offending continued for around 18 months before Laidlaw, of Martin Close in Rainhill, was reported to Merseyside Police after the youngster told his grandfather about the nasty campaign of abuse he suffered.

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Carmel Wilde, defending, told the court yesterday: “Unsurprisingly, the defendant is still in denial. He is 63 years old and has no previous convictions.

“He had an excellent work ethic. He worked as an insulation engineer all over the country.

“It may be a situation where the alcohol clouded his judgement. He must have had too much to drink after a long week at work.

“He has admitted to drinking too much and has made efforts to cut it down. He may not have had to deal with trauma, including the death of his mother at a young age and the breakup of his marriage.”

Laidlaw was convicted by a jury of two counts of sexual assault. The father of two teenage children was jailed for two years on Monday afternoon and handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and told to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next decade.

Sentencing, Recorder Mark Ainsworth said: “It’s down to your personal circumstances, age and lack of previous convictions. There is obviously no remorse as you still deny these crimes.

“We have carefully considered the prospects for rehabilitation in this case. I have read a Probation Service report and a proposed alternative to immediate imprisonment with requirements that can be put in place to protect society and assist and punish you as part of a suspended sentence order.

“It seems to me that, in the context of this case, I would be failing in my public duty if I took such a course. The appropriate punishment can only be obtained by immediate imprisonment.”

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