AN AYR man who denied sexually assaulting a boy aged 15 while drinking in his back garden hot tub has been found guilty of indecent activity with an older child.
Andrew Webb pleaded not guilty to a charge of sexually assaulting the child at his home in Kincaidston on June 7 and 8, 2022.
A jury returned a majority 'not guilty' verdict on the sexual assault charge, but unanimously convicted him on the lesser charge of sexual activity with an older child.
A trial at Ayr Sheriff Court heard that Webb performed a sex act on the child, and that the victim repeatedly told him to stop.
Webb lodged a special defence of consent to the sexual assault charge.
Under cross-examination, the victim accused Webb of "trying to get a shorter sentence", and said he had reported Webb's sickening behaviour to his mum immediately after the incident.
The jury retired at 12.37pm on Thursday, and shortly after 2pm returned a verdict of not guilty to the original sexual assault charge.
The foreman told Sheriff Mhairi MacTaggart that the jury had unanimously found Webb guilty of the lesser charge of sexual activity with a child aged between 13 and 16.
Sentence was deferred for background reports and Webb will return to court to learn his fate at a later date.
Bail was continued.
Read more exclusive coverage of the whole trial only in next week's Ayr Advertiser.
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