ELLIS BIRNIE AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN SHETLAND
A man from Shetland has recently been declared guilty of serious sexual assault charges following a high-profile trial held at the High Court in Edinburgh.The case drew significant attention as it revealed disturbing details about his crimes against multiple women in the Shetland community.
The court proceedings uncovered that Ellis Birnie, aged 27, committed sexual assaults against one woman during an incident while she was under the influence of high blood sugar levels.
The victim, who is diabetic, recounted to the court that at the time of the assault, she was in a state of altered consciousness, almost to the point of being comatose, due to her dangerously high blood sugar levels.
She described waking at one point to find Birnie's hand inside her trousers.
The victim explained, "I was completely sparked out.
I woke up at one point to find his hand inside my trousers.
I had come to enough to realise stuff was going on, but I was not fully alert," in pre-recorded evidence shown to the jury during the trial.
The incident was reported to have taken place in October 2018.
The woman also provided evidence that Birnie had previously assaulted her at his residence located in Sandveien, Lerwick.
She explained that in September of that year, Birnie had shown her around his home, including entering a bedroom with her present.
She described how she was pinned down and unable to free herself while Birnie carried out sexual acts against her will.
During the trial, Birnie denied the multiple charges brought against him.
Despite his denials, the jury reached majority verdicts on Wednesday, convicting him of three separate offences.
He was found guilty of sexually assaulting his first victim on various occasions spanning from 12th September to 3rd December 2018, at his Sandveien address and at other locations within Shetland.
In addition, Birnie was convicted of sexually assaulting a second woman in Shetland between 1st February and 24th August 2020.
He was also found guilty of engaging in abusive behaviour towards this second woman in the same year.
Following the verdicts, the trial judge, Lord Richardson, decided to postpone sentencing until next month to allow for a comprehensive background report to be prepared.
In the meantime, Birnie has been remanded in custody and has been placed on the sex offenders register, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes.
Responding to the conviction, Detective Sergeant Bruce Peebles emphasized the importance of justice for victims of sexual offences.
He stated, "The conviction of Birnie sends a clear message to anyone found guilty of sexual offences, you will be brought to justice." Sergeant Peebles also acknowledged the bravery of the victims, noting, "He befriended his vulnerable victims and I want to acknowledge their tremendous bravery, which has ultimately helped in this conviction.
His actions will have had a long-term effect on them, and he must now face the consequences for his horrific behaviour." Furthermore, he urged others who may have suffered similar crimes to come forward, reassuring the public that authorities handle such reports with sensitivity, ensuring thorough investigations and support for victims.
