CHARLES SUTHERLAND OF CAITHNESS FOUND GUILTY OF RAPE AND SEXUAL OFFENSES IN INVERNESS COURT

In a significant legal development, Charles Sutherland, a 36-year-old businessman from Caithness, has been convicted of multiple serious sexual offenses at the High Court in Inverness. The court found him guilty of raping two women, engaging in unlawful sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16, and committing an indecent assault. Sutherland, who owns Sandside House in Reay, had previously denied all allegations during the trial, which lasted three days. However, after the jury deliberated for less than four hours, they returned verdicts of guilty on all charges.

Throughout the proceedings, evidence was presented by advocate depute William Frain-Bell, revealing disturbing details about Sutherland’s predatory behavior. It was disclosed that Sutherland targeted one of his victims while she was pregnant and another while she was sleeping, raising grave concerns about his conduct. A woman who testified during the trial recounted her experience of having sex with Sutherland when she was under 16, a situation she now views as problematic only with the benefit of hindsight. She, now in her 30s, told the court, “I know what abuse looks like,” emphasizing her understanding of the gravity of her past experiences.

The unlawful sexual activities took place at various locations within Caithness between 2005 and 2007, a period during which Sutherland was approximately 17 or 18 years old. The court heard that one of the victims, who was subjected to both rape and indecent assault, had at times consented to sex with Sutherland, but on other occasions, she explicitly did not wish to engage in sexual contact. She described one particularly traumatic incident, stating, “The pain took over everything else,” highlighting the physical and emotional toll of the assault. She also recounted being raped while pregnant and waiting for the ordeal to end, adding, “Your body language speaks a thousand words.”

Another woman, who was also a victim, described waking up to find Sutherland having sex with her, noting that he was “sweating and grunting” during the act. She expressed that it was only the following morning that she felt truly uncomfortable about what had transpired. She further explained that she had told Sutherland she did not want to have sex, but felt powerless to stop him. She said, “I told him I wasn’t in the mood,” and that she went along with his advances out of fear and shame, feelings that she described as overwhelming.

During the trial, Sutherland took the stand in his own defense, with Ian Duguid KC questioning him. Sutherland, a joiner and owner of a successful construction company in Caithness, insisted that he was well-known in the area due to his business ventures and property investments. He denied all allegations, asserting that the incidents described by the women did not occur. When asked about the allegation that he targeted one of the women while she was asleep, Sutherland stated, “I just wouldn’t do it.” Under cross-examination, he firmly declared, “I have never raped anybody.”

Despite his denials, the jury found him guilty of three counts of rape, one count of indecent assault, and one count of unlawful sex with a girl under 16. The presiding judge, Judge Summers, ordered that Sutherland’s case be adjourned for presentencing reports and remanded him into custody pending sentencing. The case is scheduled to return to court in Aberdeen in October, where further proceedings will determine his sentence. Sutherland’s ownership of Sandside House in Reay has been noted as part of his profile in this case, which has garnered significant attention within the local community and beyond.