GERALD CRAWLEY AND SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULTS IN LANARKSHIRE

A prominent union leader from Lanarkshire who was convicted of multiple sexual assault charges narrowly escaped a custodial sentence in a recent court hearing. The case revealed troubling details of Crawley's conduct, including an incident where he was found wearing women's clothing and performing a sexual act in the presence of a woman he had targeted.

Gerry Crawley, aged 60, who is serving as a regional organiser for Unison and represents police and fire service workers, was found guilty of assaulting a woman on various occasions spanning from January 2016 through July 2018. The court also convicted him of another sexual offence at her residence in 2018. Despite the seriousness of the crimes, Sheriff Thomas Millar chose a community-based sentence, placing Crawley under social work supervision for a period of 12 months. Additionally, Crawley will appear on the sex offenders register for the same duration.

Crawley, a former Labour councillor from East Kilbride, denied all charges brought against him. The victim, now aged 37, recounted a disturbing encounter that took place at her home, where Crawley visited her when she was alone. During her testimony at Hamilton Sheriff Court, she described how Crawley had asked to see her pants. She was wearing leggings at the time, and he responded by saying he would show her his own.

She explained, “He had white French knickers on. They were laced and partially see-through.” She stated she was asked if she would touch them, to which she initially refused. Despite her refusal, Crawley pressed further, asking again, and she briefly touched the side of his underwear, hoping he would leave her alone afterward. Instead, he carried out a sexual act, leaving her feeling “shocked, frightened, and panicked.”

The woman described her state at that moment, saying, “I was standing against the banister in the hall. I couldn’t go anywhere.” After completing the act, Crawley left the premises quickly, having gone to the toilet before departing. When asked if she reported the incident at the time, she admitted she chose not to, explaining, “I thought it was something I could compartmentalise, put in a box and not think about.”

Additionally, she detailed an incident at a pub in Battlefield, Glasgow, on the day of the Celtic-Aberdeen Scottish Cup final in 2017. She recounted that they went for a drink before heading to Hampden Stadium, in a crowded bar filled with Aberdeen fans. During this visit, Crawley allegedly put his hand down the back of her pants. She explained, “I was talking to an Aberdeen fan. I think I asked Gerry to stop but it must have gone on for five minutes or so.” She added that he was touching and squeezing her bottom in a public setting, which she described as a shocking experience.

The woman further testified that Crawley acted inappropriately on two other occasions—once at her house and once inside a taxi. She claimed that while in the taxi with other passengers, including her husband, Crawley touched her private parts and later messaged her to ask if she had liked it. These incidents left her feeling “dirty and embarrassed,” she said.

During cross-examination, the woman strongly denied suggestions that she and Crawley had a consensual or romantic relationship where she was considered the dominant party. She also rejected the defence's claim that she and Crawley had an arrangement where he would visit her house to clean while dressed in women’s clothing. She clarified, “It happened once. I thought it would be a useful outlet for him. Mostly he just wanted to talk about pants.”

The defence lawyer, Patricia Bailey, attempted to suggest mutual consent in certain behaviours, asking whether the two had touched each other’s private parts consensually. The woman firmly responded, “No. That’s absolutely wrong.”

Crawley, giving his own account, maintained that none of the alleged assaults had taken place. He claimed they had a consensual relationship involving mutual touching, stating, “I would touch her underwear and her bottom. It was always after I had been round at her house cleaning. I would be dressed up in ladies’ clothing. It happened on dozens of occasions.”

He also asserted that he had asked for her permission before engaging in any inappropriate acts, including the incident in the pub on the day of the football final. Despite his claims, the court heard from Crawley’s own daughter, who revealed that he had confessed to having an “inappropriate” relationship with the woman.

In delivering his verdict, Sheriff Millar commented that it appeared the woman had “accommodated your interests” to a certain extent. However, he emphasized that she had expressed discomfort and acknowledged that some incidents went beyond what she was willing to consent to, resulting in a guilty verdict for Crawley’s misconduct.