Sex attacker preyed on sleeping victims

David Blair, now 51, also pleaded guilty to a similar attack on an 11-year-old girl three years later.

Jedburgh Sheriff Court was told the woman, 24 at the time, had been staying over at Blair’s then house in Newtown after a night-out with his wife in 1998.

She recalled waking to find Blair standing over her naked and touching her breasts and body under her clothing.

The matter was reported to the police but was not proceeded with at that point.

Blair, of Jedburgh, also admitted a second charge of lewd and libidinous practices towards a 11-year-old girl by touching her breasts while she was sleeping in January 2001.

She described how he was naked as he fondled her.

The court heard that the girl had “gone off the rails” after the incident but it was only last year that she felt strong enough to report it to police.

Blair was taken to Hawick police station on May 3 to be interviewed.

He confirmed he was in the house at the time and had been drinking but said he had no recollection of the incident.

He also denied the previous assault on the woman, claiming “she must have been smoking drugs”.

However, Blair has since pleaded guilty to carrying out both sex attacks.

Sentence was deferred until Monday, March 19, for background reports.

Blair’s name was placed on the sex offenders’ register in the meantime.