A SICK beast has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a five-year-old girl on Ardeer Beach.

Vile Thomas Mason lured the child to the secluded spot to sexually abuse her after befriending her Kilwinning family and getting permission from her mother to take her for a day out.

Kilmarnock Sheriff Court heard pervert Mason attacked the girl twice after earning her family’s trust, first at the beach then at his home address in Stevenston between July 17 and 19 last year.

Once he had the child in his grip depraved Mason subjected her to a string of disgusting sexual acts, the details of which are too distressing to publish.

Following the horrific attacks Mason, most recently of Ardrossan, casually delivered the child back to her unsuspecting parents as if nothing had happened.

But the traumatised youngster told her mother what he had done as soon as Mason left.

Mason pled not guilty to the attacks and subjected his victim and her family to further anguish of a court trial.

But a jury saw through the vile 34-year-old and found him guilty of the horrific crime.

The court was told this attack was not the first time Mason had carried out his sick fantasies on a defenceless child.

The court heard that Mason had previously been investigated for sexually abusing a nine-year-old girl in his native Leeds between January 5, 2015 and February 23, 2016.

Mason’s case was adjourned and he will return to court for sentencing in October.