A retired police officer has been jailed for sexually abusing teenage air training corps cadets more than three decades ago.

Colin Fowler, 76, plied his victims with alcohol before assaulting them at his then home in Anstruther, Fife.

Fowler denied carrying out the sex attacks on two former cadets, who were aged between 13 and 16, but was unanimously found guilty following a trial at the High Court in Edinbugh.

On Thursday, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

Passing sentence, Lord Brailsford said: "The offences were perpetrated when you were in a position of trust in relation to both these young persons."

Fowler groomed his victims by becoming their friend and getting to know their parents.

He carried out sex acts on one victim throughout July and August 1972. He then assaulted the other boy between July 1977 and July 1982.

Advocate depute Alan Cameron asked one of the victims if he had considered reporting the abuse to the police at the time.

He replied: "He was a policeman. He seemed to know everyone in the police anyway."

The other victim said: "I was in a very confused state of mind at that time.

"Everything said by Colin Fowler was that I was wanting it. An adult was telling me that I was in the wrong.

"I felt responsible. I felt guilty and I carried that guilt for a long, long time."

Fowler was working as an officer with Fife Constabulary at the time of the offences and also served as a leader to cadets at RAF Pitreavie, near Dunfermline, Fife.

Fowler, of Harbourlea, Anstruther, was said to be "shocked, amazed and incredulous" when he learned of the allegations.

Defence counsel Ronnie Renucci QC said: "The prison setting will be particularly difficult for him."

He said his age, state of health and because he was a former police officer would perhaps make it more difficult for him than others.

Fowler was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.