A PENSIONER found guilty of a historical sexual offence against a girl who was aged between five and nine years old at the time has been jailed for three years at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.

Sixty-five-year-old Archibald Hartdegen was unanimously convicted by the jury of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices towards the youngster at various houses in Hawick between November 1986 and November 1991.

His lawyer accepted Hartdegen had two analogous previous convictions – the last of which was in 1996 when he received a prison sentence.

He pointed out the abuse in this case ended in 1991.

The lawyer said Hartdegen had complex health needs after suffering a spinal cord stroke and he now lived with his wife in Derbyshire who suffered from dementia.

He argued that the court could take the view that custody was not required on a public protection basis.

But Sheriff Peter Paterson said that despite being convicted by juries now on two occasions, Hartdegen had shown no moral courage by refusing to acknowledge his guilt.

He had put the young girls at both trials through the ordeal of having to give evidence against him.

Sheriff Paterson said: "It shows to me that you have not changed at all."

He said Hartdegen never considered the consequences of the harm his conduct had done to the girls adding: "There is no alternative to prison."

Sheriff Paterson said there would be no discount to the three-year jail sentence.