Andrew Hodge’s body was discovered at woodlands in Fife three days after he was reported missing.

A dad has taken his own life after the paedophile who abused him as child moved back to his local area.

Andrew Hodge, 61, had been missing from his home in Kirkcaldy for three days before his body was discovered in nearby woodlands on Saturday, March 29.

His daughter Lisa, 41, told the Record that his mental health had rapidly deteriorated after he learned that his attacker, David Bowman, was living nearby after he was released from prison.

Bowman, 75, was jailed for seven years in 2020 for abusing Andrew and two other boys in Cowdenbeath from 1970 to 1979.

Lisa said: “Bowman is an old man so we thought that he might die in prison. Then we were told he was being released before we heard he was was living at Bennochy Lodge Care Home in our town.

“It just became too much for dad to cope with. I have never seen anyone so angry. Days before dad died, police called me and I had to go and collect him from outside the nursing home. He was upset.

“He has lived with a lifetime of trauma at this predator’s hands from the age just of seven-years-old. So he took all his medication with him, disappeared, and that was it.”

Lisa has slammed the decision to allow Bowman to live in Kirkcaldy while one of his victims remained in the area.

She said: “I blame David Bowman unequivocally for my dad’s death, but whoever decided it was okay to allow him live here has to take a portion of the blame. Surely people like him should not be allowed live in the community where they offended?

“He should never have been allowed anywhere near here again. The focus should be on protecting survivors.”

Andrew first reported Bowman to the police 20 years ago, but officers were unable to press charges due to a lack of solid evidence. But cops returned to see Andrew in 2018, after two other men had come forward to say they had also been abused by the fiend.

Bowman was convicted two years later.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance sympathised with Andrew’s family, but stated that all offenders undergo risk assessments before they are released back into the community.

Ms Constance said: “My thoughts are with the family and friends of Andrew Hodge.

“The main consideration when assessing the suitability of accommodation for a sex offender is the safety of the community.

A Risk Assessment must be carried out in every case, focusing on managing any risks and involving partners working together under Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements.”

However, Lisa argues that no risk assessment can ever measure the trauma felt by victims who have to live alongside their attackers.

She said: These risk assessments mean nothing if they are going to place abusers like him near victims and re-traumatise them and they don’t consider what the impact would have been on my dad.”

Fife Health and Social Care Partnership do not comment on individual cases for reasons of confidentiality.

They add: “Under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) all responsible organisations work together to assess individuals and put in place safeguards to minimise any potential risks and protect communities.”

A spokesperson for Bennochy Lodge Care Home said: “Due to our confidentiality policy we are unable to disclose much information but can confirm that we do all risk assessments, needs assessments and action plan in place before we have any placement of vulnerable adults.

“We also would like to confirm that we have all necessary protocols in place to ensure our service users, employees and visitors safety and well being.”