Man admits sexually abusing two young girls in Fife

A man has admitted sexually abusing two girls in Fife over a nine year period.

Andrew Steele, from Dunfermline, turned up at a police station and confessed to and raping one girl and touching another between 1996 and 2005.

He was initially released pending further investigations but was detained months later. He then said he been hallucinating when he made the confession.

Sentence was deferred for background reports.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Steele, aged 49, told officers his mother was "up in the sky" urging him to confess to the sex crimes when he made his revelations.

Police traced the girls and took statements from them. Both victims were aged seven when the abuse began.

Steele admitted rape, indecency offences and failing to turn up for an earlier court date, when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Advocate depute Mark McGuire said: "On 28 December in 2014 the accused voluntarily attended at Kirkcaldy police station and disclosed that he had interfered with the girls."

"On 3 March in 2015 the accused was detained. Under caution he told the officers that he was having hallucinations on the day that he confessed. He told them that his mother was up in the sky telling him to confess. He maintained this position throughout the interview."

The prosecutor said before his first appearance at the police station Steele had gone to hospital and claimed he was hallucinating.

"He was assessed by three medical professionals who concluded that he was suffering from alcohol withdrawal. He was deemed fit to be discharged," said the prosecutor

Steele was remanded in custody and put on the sex offenders register.