A SEX predator who had been charged with abusing a boy at a Christian retreat in Largs has been found guilty of appalling crimes against three children.

Andrew Ward — who branded his victims 'evil liars' — preyed on youngsters in his role as a church mission helper during a period of eight years.

Ward, 52, is today facing prison after a jury took just 35 minutes to convict him of sexually abusing boys as young as nine when his offending began.

A charge that he abused one boy on various occasions at Largs' Netherhall Christian Retreat between August 1984 and November 1986 was dropped during the course of a four-day trial.

However, Ward was found guilty of indecently assaulting the same child at locations in Greenock.

His traumatised and emotional victims gave harrowing evidence during the trial at Greenock Sheriff Court of how he targeted them in places including a common close and onboard a minibus.

Ward — a father-of-one who is now separated from his wife — committed the offences between November 1986 and December 1994.

Despite his victims testifying to not knowing each other either at the time of the abuse or now, Ward defiantly insisted that they had somehow conspired against him.

In his evidence to the jury of eight men and seven women — a number of whom shook their heads as he spoke — Ward said: "It never happened. It's not true."

Under cross examination by prosecutor Kavin Ryan-Hume, he declared: "They're all lying. Yes, they are evil."

The court heard how one victim was a foster child of a couple who helped run the Barnard's Court Mission Church when Ward sexually abused him over a two-year period between 1992 and 1994.

He saw Ward by chance at Glasgow Central Station in 2012 and 'started shouting and bawling' at his abuser, the jury was told.

Ward told the court: "He saw me on a stairway and chased after me and I said to the guards, 'This man is hassling me'."

He put the man's testimony to court down to 'jealousy and hatred', but couldn't explain why.

Asked by fiscal depute Mr Ryan-Hume why the victims would be lying or 'taking revenge' on him, Ward replied: "I don't know."

He was found guilty of indecently assaulting and using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards boys when they were aged between nine and 15.

One victim, who had been abused previously by a member of his own family, told the court: "There were times when Andrew would touch me and I felt really uncomfortable.

"I froze when it happened, as if I couldn't stop it — and I couldn't stop it."

Ward touched the private parts of all of his victims and performed sex acts on them.

At an address on Maple Road in Greenock, while naked, he entered the bed of one boy and kissed him on his neck and ear before telling him to be quiet and sexually assaulting him.

He abused another boy at the same property years earlier, as well as within a common close on the town's East Hamilton Street.

Ward targeted the other victim at Barnard's Court Mission Church and onboard the mission's minibus.

Prosecutor Mr Ryan-Hume put it to him: "You are saying it was too risky on the minibus?"

Ward replied: "It was too risky, yes, and it didn't happen."

Sheriff Michael Higgins has deferred sentence on Ward until June 21 for a background report to be prepared.

The sheriff continued his bail until then.