A CHILDREN’S charity has praised the bravery shown by victims of a former Scout leader who has been jailed for historic sex abuse crimes.

Experts at NSPCC Scotland spoke out after 77-year-old William Quigg was handed a decade-long prison sentence.

Quigg, of Lintwhite Court, Bridge of Weir, abused two young boys more than 30 years ago, targeting his victims when they were aged just 12.

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A spokesman for NSPCC Scotland described Quigg as “a predatory and dangerous child abuser who has finally faced justice for his appalling crimes.”

He added: “Sexual abuse is never the fault of the victim and the survivors of the horrific abuse carried out by Quigg have shown enormous bravery in speaking out about what happened to them.

“We hope they now receive the support they need.”

Quigg carried out the abuse between 1980 and 1986 at various addresses in Glasgow.

He admitted sexually abusing one boy when the victim was aged between 12 and 15 but denied raping the other boy and sexually abusing him from the age of 12 to 16.

Neither of the boys was in the Scouts.

Quigg was convicted of all the abuse by a jury at the High Court in Glasgow last month.

And, last week, he was caged for 10 years when he appeared for sentencing at the High Court in Livingston.

The once-respected community figure, who rose through the ranks to become a Scout Commissioner, showed no emotion as judge Lord Burns handed down the sentence.

The court heard that Quigg now faces the prospect of dying before he is eligible for release from prison.

Mark Stewart, defending, told the court the case was one of extreme abuse which represented a gross breach of trust.

The lawyer said: “It’s a matter of practical fact that he is a man who is 77 years of age now. It’s accepted that he faces a significant custodial sentence.

“He understands he may not live to see his liberation from this sentence. He has given up all his property rights and all the rights of someone at liberty.”

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Passing sentence, Lord Burns told Quigg the jury had returned unanimous verdicts finding him guilty of “the most serious abuse of two young and highly-vulnerable children.”

He said: “I bear in mind that you do accept responsibility for the abuse that you perpetrated on (the first complainer) but you refuse to accept responsibility for what you did to (the second complainer).

“I also bear in mind your age, the fact that you have no previous convictions, or convictions since this campaign of abuse, and your work record – but the abuse you perpetrated on these boys for the seven years it went on was of the most grave kind.”

The sentence was backdated to February 13 this year, when Quigg was remanded in custody. He was also told his name would remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.

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