Detective praises 'brave' victims of rapist athletics coach who struck in Edinburgh and Fife

An athletics coach who played the pop hit "Young Girl" to teenagers who he subjected to sexual abuse has been jailed.

Behind bars: Rapist athletics coach Eric Simpson

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Eric Simpson, 73, was brought to justice after one of his child victims, now a woman in her fifties, saw a photograph which featured him still in his coaching role posing with a young girl. The woman wanted to protect others and bravely agreed to speak to detectives in December 2018.

Officers worked through statements and contacted various people who had been coached by Simpson in a career that spanned from the 1970’s until his suspension in 2018. His abuse started with massages that became sexually inappropriate. The youngest victim was only 13-years-old. Simpson targeted the girls in Burntisland and Kirkcaldy – but his last victim was abused by him at a school in Edinburgh.

Five women agreed to give statements to police and Simpson was arrested and charged in May 2019.

During a five day trial at the High Court in Edinburgh a jury heard that Simpson had raped one girl and subjected four other victims to indecent assaults and lewd behaviour during a catalogue of offending. He denied any guilt but was convicted of seven charges.

A judge told the former teacher that he was convicted of a series of extremely serious sexual offences committed against children and young females over many years.

Lord Arthurson said: "In due course, you can expect to receive from the court a very substantial sentence of imprisonment."

Simpson, of Kirkcaldy, had been on bail during his trial but was remanded in custody for the preparation of a background report ahead of sentencing next month.

Advocate depute Shanti Maguire told the court: "The accused has dedicated his life to athletics and until recently was an athletics coach." Simpson was suspended as a coach after allegations against him surfaced.

One woman told the court that Simpson had played the Gary Puckett and the Union Gap hit "Young Girl" for her and told her it was her special song.

The 44-year-old said that if she now heard the song as an adult it was "horrible". "I can't even listen to it," she said.

She said that as a 13-year-old she became uncomfortable when the coach made reference to sexual matters, including positions.

He went on to massage her with baby oil after telling her to undress, but his fingers began going near her private parts. She said: "I was frozen. I was too scared to do anything."

Another woman told the court that she heard Simpson saying it was very difficult working with young girls when they all fancied him.

She was also molested by him during massages and he went on to subject her to rape.

The 53-year-old said: "He used to put music on and say this music made him think of me. It was 'Young Girl'."

Simpson was convicted of using indecent behaviour towards her on various occasions between April 1981 and April 1984 at addresses in Fife, by repeatedly massaging her legs and body and touching and penetrating her privates.

He was also found guilty of raping her on various occasions between April 1982 and April 1984 in Kirkcaldy, Burntisland and at a Fife school.

Simpson made sexual comments and massaged a second girl between November 1986 and November 1989, beginning when she was 13, in Kirkcaldy. He also exposed himself and got her to carry out a sex act.

Between December 1988 and December 1999 he indecently assaulted a 17-year-old at a house in Kirkcaldy by pushing her against a wall and kissing her.

He indecently assaulted another teenager between August 1992 and August 1993 on two occasions in Kirkcaldy when he asked her for a kiss and gave her a massage, touching her breasts.

His final offence occurred between October 1997 and October 1999 at a school in Edinburgh when he indecently assaulted a victim who he pulled onto his knee and kissed.

Following the case, Detective Sergeant Graeme Dursley, of the Non-Recent Child Abuse Investigation Unit based at Glenrothes, said: "Simpson was well known in the local community. He was held in very high regard in athletic circles and many of those we spoke to couldn't believe the concerns were true. This shows his level of manipulation and the depraved character that he was.

"The women who agreed to testify against him are incredibly brave. When we approached them for the first time, they were all so glad that this was being investigated and that we believed them. It was a powerful moment and if it wasn't for all the women agreeing to speak to us, we would not have had this conviction. I want to thank all of those women and also Scottish Athletics who helped us throughout our investigation. I want this to give others confidence to contact police if they have been a victim of abuse of any kind, no matter how long ago or who it involved."

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