An Ardrossan man who cared for vulnerable kids boasted: ‘I’m not a paedophile, I’m an abuser’ when confronted by his rape victim.

Sick sex beast John Noon, 69, sneaked up on a teenage boy while he slept and raped him.

The abuse took place between October 1986 and 1988 when the victim was aged between 13 and 14.

Noon, of Queens Drive, also targeted another sleeping victim, pouncing on the man and sexually abusing him, in an Ardrossan flat

But the pervert pensioner, who was a residential social worker caring for vulnerable young children, denied all the charges against him.

Today, the family of one of his victims have spoken out, saying they are ‘ecstatic’ that Noon has been found guilty of the heinous attacks.

One family member told the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald: “We are ecstatic that justice is finally being served.

“People thought this man was a pillar in the community but now he has finally been found out.

“I want everyone to know what John Noon has done.

“It is shocking what he has done but I feel justice has been served.”

Prosecutor Lindsey Dalziel said: “John Noon was confronted and told he had raped this teenager - who is now in his 40’s – and on the account of several people he said nothing.

She told the jury: “Imagine if someone barged into your house and accused you of rape.

“You would be saying are you mad instead we have him patting his wife’s knee and saying “I’m not an paedophile, I’m an abuser.”

Noon denied the allegations and claimed that his victims were lying.

Ms Dalziel said: “These are ordinary decent men doing their best to tell you about something horrific, they are not here for the dramatics or the attention or whatever ridiculous is being insinuated – two hardworking, family men who have been utterly affected by what happened to them and further rocked by the discovery that they weren’t alone in that – to the point they could no longer stay quiet.”

Judge Sean Murphy QC deferred sentence on Noon until next month.