Evil Edinburgh cleaner wrote love letter to young girl and grabbed her by the throat

Kris Gourlay

27 November 2024 at 7:38 am·2-min read

A sick Edinburgh man who subjected three young children to a campaign of sexual abuse has been jailed.

Alan Todd was found guilty of five charges on October 28 and was sentenced to 10 years behind bars and named on the sex offenders register indefinitely for his crimes which took place between 2001 and 2019.

The 54-year-old's offending took place throughout the city and involved children aged between seven and 13 when the abuse began. Todd, a cleaner, was found to have targeted the first two while they were asleep in their beds.

He also wrote inappropriate letters and a card to one of the victims, professing his love to her and stating that he wished to marry her. Todd later assaulted the same child by seizing her by the throat.

He sexually assaulted and raped the third victim, who was under the age of 13, repeatedly over the course of three years.

Todd was arrested and charged in May 2020 and non-harassment orders, banning Todd from contacting or attempting to contact the victims, were granted for a period of 15 years.

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Scotland’s Procurator Fiscal for High Court Sexual Offending, Katrina Parkes said: “Alan Todd posed a danger to young children by exploiting a position of trust in the worst possible way.

“The trauma these victims suffered was at the forefront of our minds during this prosecution. It is thanks to the bravery of those affected by Todd’s offending that he has now been brought to justice.

“We would encourage anyone affected by similar offending to come forward - regardless of how much time has passed. You will be listened to and supported as we seek to secure justice using all the tools at our disposal.”

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Detective Constable Jill Urquhart, of Police Scotland, added: “Alan Todd is an abusive individual whose offending spanned many years. I commend the strength and resilience of the victims in this case and hope his conviction provides them with some sense of closure.

“I urge anyone who has been a victim of a sexual crime, regardless of when it happened, to come forward and report it to us. All reports are thoroughly investigated.

“We have specially trained officers who, alongside our partner agencies, will support you throughout.”

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