02-08-2025
Vile beast branded "predator of the most dangerous and deviant sort"
Twisted David Cardona was yesterday described as 'a predator of the most dangerous and devious sort'.
A Paisley beast has been jailed for five years after being found guilty of 'orchestrated and persistent' child sex abuse spanning over two decades.
Twisted David Cardona was last month found guilty by a jury, following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court, of the abuse of three youngsters.
The jury found the 65-year-old unanimously guilty of using 'lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour' towards a boy aged under 13 between October 21, 1994 and October 23, 1994.
Creepy Cardona got into the boy's bed while he was sleeping, laid next to him, attempted to pull his trousers down and, thereafter, performed a sex act on him.
Cardona, of Westburn Avenue in the town, was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16 on 'various occasions' between July 11, 2013 and August 20, 2018 by touching her private parts through her clothing.
The court heard evidence Cardona would carry out these sexual assaults when the girl was sleeping or falling asleep.
A witness told the jury: 'It was at night, he would lift her but place his hands at her pants.'
The witness told the court how this had impacted the girl and added: 'When she told me, she was in pieces, she was crying; crying as if she was having a panic attack.
'After it happened, she distanced herself from him.
'It changed her, she stayed in her room after it happened, her hair would fall out, she started cutting her wrists.'
Cardona was also found guilty of sexually assaulting another girl while she was under the age of 13.
Between August 2019 and August 2021, the paedophile on 'various occasions' assaulted this youngster by placing his hand inside her trousers and sexually assaulting her.
Yesterday, Sheriff Gillian Craig slammed Cardona stating: 'You are a predator of the most dangerous and devious sort.
'These offences are in a league of very serious crime.
'Your victims have already lived with the trauma and may live with the trauma for the rest of their lives.
'I've read the victim impact statements and what is clear is the impact is devastating, you robbed these children of their childhood.'
Defence agent, Paul Keenan KC told the court there was 'little he could say in mitigation'.
He added: 'Mr Cardona maintains he is innocent, he understands the jury's verdict and rejects that position.
'He is under no illusion of the severity and fully accepts the offences he's convicted of are exceptionally serious and there will ne no choice but to impose a custodial sentence.'
Sentencing, Sheriff Craig added: 'I commend all of the victims for their bravery in coming to police.
'The ripples of what you've done will be felt through their families and loved ones.
'A custodial sentence is the only appropriate disposal.'
Cardona was jailed for five years and, upon his release, he will be subject to licence for three years with conditions fixed by Scottish ministers.
In addition, he was made subject to a non-harassment order for each of the three victims for 20 years and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order also for twenty years.
