PAUL EDWARDSON FROM DUMBARTON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULTS ON THREE WOMEN IN GLASGOW

A former member of a pipe band, Paul Edwardson, has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of committing serious sexual offenses against three women. The crimes took place primarily at his residence in Dumbarton, a town known for its historic and scenic landscape, but the impact of his actions extended into the wider Glasgow area, where the High Court delivered the verdict.

Edwardson, aged 23, was convicted of raping two of the women and assaulting a third with the intent to rape. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to having sexual relations with a teenage girl under the age of consent, a charge that was established prior to the trial. The offences spanned from 2017 to 2021, with most incidents occurring at his home in Dumbarton, a location that became central to the investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.

During the sentencing hearing, Lord Scott highlighted the profound emotional toll inflicted on one of the victims, who provided a powerful statement describing the significant and lasting impact of her ordeal. The judge emphasized that the victim described her experience as dehumanizing, draining, and confusing, noting the support she received from her family and friends helped her survive the trauma. Lord Scott remarked that her resilience had transformed her from a victim into a survivor.

In his remarks, Lord Scott also condemned Edwardson’s continued denial of guilt, noting that he persisted in making vain protests of innocence and even suggested the existence of some conspiracy against him. As part of his sentence, Edwardson will be supervised for two years following his release from prison. Furthermore, he has been placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and is prohibited from contacting the three women involved in the case, including the jurors who convicted him.

The details of the assaults reveal disturbing behavior. The first victim was attacked after she had fallen asleep, with evidence indicating she was pinned down by her wrists and subjected to non-consensual sexual acts despite her pleas for him to stop. The second victim also fell asleep during the encounter, and she had to fake a panic attack to deter Edwardson from continuing his assault. She testified that she repeatedly told him she did not want sex, and when her words failed, she resorted to taking extra measures to protect herself.

Following the attack, the second victim was described by a friend as being distraught and speaking rapidly, overwhelmed by the trauma. Text messages between her and Edwardson revealed her confronting him about his actions, to which he responded with an apology, claiming he had not thought about the consequences.

Regarding the third victim, she had no memory of the sexual contact, with evidence suggesting she was intoxicated and had gone to bed before waking up naked on a bare mattress. The jury was shown evidence that Edwardson attempted to conceal his crimes by washing the victim and her clothes, an act believed to be an effort to hide the evidence of his misconduct.

Throughout the trial, Edwardson maintained that the women had lied, dismissing their accounts as falsehoods. Prosecutor John McElroy KC described his defense as a desperate attempt to escape justice, suggesting that Edwardson’s claims were unfounded and driven by his own guilt.

Additionally, the court heard disturbing details about Edwardson’s behavior, including his tendency to talk about his late mother and show photographs of her grave, seemingly in an attempt to evoke sympathy from young women and manipulate their emotions.

In conclusion, the court’s sentence reflects the severity of Edwardson’s crimes and the lasting impact on his victims. His eight-year imprisonment, coupled with the supervision and registration requirements, aims to serve justice and protect the community from further harm.