March 2011

Prison for Methil indecent assault pair

William Williamson and Stuart Hughes were jailed for six years each

Two men from Fife who subjected a woman to an indecent assault in her home in front of and caused two boys not only to observe, but to participate in certain parts of the assault have each been jailed for six years.

Stuart Hughes, 34, and William Williamson, 26, had denied the attack at a flat in Methil on 15 January 2010.

The woman was tied up and subjected to a sustained indecent assault, with the children made to join in at certain parts of the attack.

The pair had denied the offences at the High Court in Edinburgh.

Sentencing them, judge Lord Woolman said: “You caused the two boys not only to observe but to participate in certain parts of the assault.”

He said that the victim was left “traumatised” by what happened and that the humiliation inflicted on her had a major impact of her life, with the woman becoming depressed, losing confidence, leaving her home and taking time off work.

Lord Woolman pointed out the pair had been assessed as posing a high risk of reoffending and ordered that they be supervised for a further two years.

They were also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

The pair, both from Methil, had denied indecently assaulting the woman and using indecent behaviour towards two boys, aged six and 10, by attacking her in their presence and encouraging and causing them to take part.

But a jury at the High Court in Edinburgh unanimously found them guilty of committing the offences. The woman said she was at home with her son after finishing work when Williamson and Hughes arrived with another woman.

“They had been drinking. They brought drink with them, Buckfast and vodka. They were fine when they first came to the house,” she said. But she said Williamson later became “really drunk” and Hughes was also drunk. They then attacked her.

Another man and woman arrived at her flat and some of her restraints were removed, with her attackers later leaving her home. The woman later spoke to her mother about her ordeal and was taken to the police.

HMA v STUART HUGHES & WILLIAM JOHN WILLIAMSON

Today at Edinburgh High Court Lord Woolman imposed extended sentences of eight years on Stuart Hughes and William Williamson after they were found guilty of sexual assault. The sentences consist of a custodial period of six years followed by an extension period of two years.

On sentencing Lord Woolman made the following statement in court:

“You have both been convicted of two serious sexual offences. The jury, having heard all the evidence, found you unanimously guilty after trial. I propose to say only a limited amount about the offences. The charges speak for themselves.

I begin by considering the gravity of your conduct. There are several factors to take into account:

 i. You tied up the complainer on charge 1 before committing a sustained indecent assault upon her.
 ii. The assault took place in her own home in the presence of two young children, one of whom was her son. They are the complainers on charge 2.
 iii. You caused the two boys not only to observe, but to participate in certain parts of the assault. 
 iv. Other adults were also present and observed her plight
 v. You caused a video to be taken of the incident on a mobile phone, although I understand that was deleted.

The complainer on charge 1 was traumatized by what happened. The humiliation visited upon her has had a major impact on her life. She has become depressed, lost confidence, left her home and taken time off work. It is hard to calculate what harm you have caused to the two boys.

I take into account the terms of the social enquiry reports and everything said in mitigation on your behalf. In particular, I note that both of you come before the court with limited records and no prior convictions for sexual offences.

You have, however, each been assessed as presenting a high risk of re-offending. In those circumstances, I shall impose an extended sentence for the protection of the public. I see no reason to differentiate between you in terms of sentence. Because they both arose out of the same incident, I shall impose one cumulo sentence to cover both crimes.

You will each go to prison for a period of 6 years, with an extension period of two years. Stuart Hughes, your sentence will be backdated to 9 February 2011. William Williamson, your sentence will be backdated to 16 February 2011.

On the last occasion I placed you on the Sex Offenders’ Register. You will be subject to the notification requirements indefinitely. I propose to refer your cases to the Scottish Ministers in terms of section 10 (4) of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003”.