A COWDENBEATH pensioner who subjected young boys to sexual abuse more than four decades ago has been jailed.

David Bowman, 70, of Ewing Street, preyed on three youngsters in the town between 1970 and 1979.

One victim, who regularly ran away from home as a child, told the High Court in Edinburgh that he was molested in different places, including a pigeon loft.

He said Bowman told him that he loved him and wanted to show him how much he loved him.

The man, now aged 56, said that Bowman had performed oral sex on him as a child and committed other acts.

He said: "Something inside me said it wasn't right. I shouldn't be doing that, but I didn't know."

He said Bowman went on to carry out further sexual conduct which hurt and stung.

He said: "When he asked me what was wrong I said it was sore."

The man said he originally reported Bowman to the police in 2002.

He said: "I was just out of hospital. I took a massive overdose to get away from this.

"I wanted him arrested. I wanted him off the street."

The victim said he did not know that posters had been put up in Cowdenbeath around this time accusing Bowman of being a paedophile.

He added: "I didn't stay in Cowdenbeath to put up any posters."

The police returned to speak to him again in 2018.

Bowman had denied indecent behaviour towards him from the age of seven in 1970 until 1977 at addresses in Hill of Beath and Cowdenbeath and indecently assaulting him between July 1977 and July 1978 at a house in Cowdenbeath.

He had also denied indecent behaviour with another child from the age of 10 in 1972 until 1976 in Cowdenbeath and at a road near the B981 Inverkeithing to Crossgates road.

He had also denied a further charge of committing an indecent assault on a boy, who was aged either five or six, on a single occasion between October 1977 and October 1978 at a house in Cowdenbeath.

Bowman was found guilty of all four offences.

Sentence was deferred until next month for the preparation of a background report.

The trial judge, Lord Boyd of Duncansby, placed him on the sex offenders' register.

Bowman was remanded in custody.