Edinburgh perverts convicted of historic child abuse

Two men responsible for the non-recent sexual abuse of children have been convicted.

At the High Court in Edinburgh on Tuesday, 19 September, Alexander Philip, 57, and Craig Hodgkins, 52, were found guilty of sexual offences against five young people aged between six and 13-years-old between 1978 and 2008.

The conviction followed a Police Scotland investigation after survivors came forward.

Following significant inquiry, the pair were arrested and charged in connection with the crimes, which took place in Edinburgh, Hamilton and Airdrie.

Police Scotland’s Detective Inspector Jonny Wright, who led the investigation, said: “Over the course of three decades, Alexander Philip and Craig Hodgkins subjected their victims to sustained levels of sexual abuse, sometimes together, and other times separately.

“Their offending may have gone undetected had it not been for the survivors coming forward and reporting the circumstances to police.

“The convictions of this pair should serve as a reminder that time is no barrier for Police Scotland to investigate any report of criminality and we will utilise all resources at our disposal to bring perpetrators of sexual abuse to justice.”

Philip and Hodgkins will be sentenced later.