A PAEDOPHILE pensioner who died more than two decades after he began a horrific catalogue of abuse against three sisters suffered multiple organ failure, it has been revealed.

James Duncan targeted the young girls over more than a decade, between 1995 and 2006, at properties in Johnstone, Kilbarchan and Lossiemouth.

His youngest victim was aged just six at the time.

Duncan, 75, admitted six charges of lewd, indecent and libidinous practices at Paisley Sheriff Court in February last year.

He was ordered to spend 34 months behind bars but died on January 9 this year at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, in Glasgow.

That led to a fatal accident inquiry taking place at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

And a judgment issued by Sheriff Shona Gilroy has now revealed that Duncan died of multiple organ failure after two operations.

Having being diagnosed with an abdominal aneurysm in June last year, he suffered a rupture in December, which resulted in emergency surgery.

Further surgery was carried out in January, which led to a rare complication, and Duncan went on to suffer multi-organ failure and respiratory failure.

The cause of death was noted after a post-mortem examination by pathologist Dr Marjorie Turner.

In her judgment, Sheriff Gilroy wrote: “Having considered the terms of the joint minute and the productions, I am satisfied such a formal determination is appropriate in the circumstances of Mr Duncan’s death.”

Last year's hearing at Paisley Sheriff Court was told Duncan repeatedly abused his first victim in front of her other sisters and parents, thanks to a long tablecloth which hid what he was doing.

Prosecutor Scot Dignan told the court: “Her sisters and parents couldn’t see what was happening because the tablecloth was so long.

“It made her uncomfortable and frightened. She thought it was just her, she never saw him doing it to her sisters.”

The abuse only came to light in June 2014, after one of his victims had a child of her own.

Duncan confessed at a police station to his abuse of the three sisters, who can’t be named for legal reasons, after one threatened to tell people.