PAUL GILLESPIE FROM LARGS INVOLVED IN SEXUAL ABUSE IN IRVINE, ARDROSSAN, AND STEVENSTON

In January 2018, a disturbing case emerged involving Paul Gillespie, a youth worker from Largs, who was found guilty of sexually abusing three teenage girls under the guise of performing health checks. The incidents took place across various locations including Irvine, Ardrossan, and Stevenston, often while Gillespie was driving the victims in a North Ayrshire Council vehicle.

Gillespie, aged 23 at the time, exploited his position of trust as a trained first aider and youth volunteer to carry out these manipulative acts. The court heard that he convinced the girls to lift their tops under the pretense of conducting medical examinations, during which he would inappropriately touch them. The victims, all of whom suffered from different medical conditions, believed Gillespie was genuinely assisting them, unaware of his true intentions.

Prosecutor Jennifer Harkins emphasized that the girls did not perceive Gillespie’s actions as wrong at the time. She stated, “They viewed him as a friend and youth worker. He was in a position of trust and he abused that position.”

One of the victims, who was just 15 years old, was assaulted the day after her father’s death. She tearfully recounted her vulnerability, saying, “I was very vulnerable and Paul was the only person I could trust.” Her account highlighted how Gillespie’s manipulative tactics preyed on her emotional state.

The court also heard about another girl, an asthma sufferer, who was subjected to Gillespie’s inappropriate conduct after he expressed concern about her breathing. The third victim, involved with the North Ayrshire Youth Executive Committee, was duped into similar examinations, with Gillespie asking her to lift her shirt and touching her with a stethoscope and his hands.

Gillespie’s actions came to light after a colleague reported his misconduct. He was convicted last month of sexual assaults that occurred in 2015 and 2016. During the trial, Gillespie’s defense claimed that he believed an ex-colleague wanted “some kind of payback” after he had complained about her. However, the court found sufficient evidence to convict him.

In sentencing, Sheriff Michael Hanlon handed Gillespie a penalty of 300 hours of unpaid community service. Additionally, Gillespie was prohibited from having unsupervised contact with girls under the age of 17. The court also recommended that he attend a rehabilitation course and ordered his registration on the sex offenders register.

Earlier in November 2017, Gillespie was also found guilty of similar misconduct. The court heard that Gillespie, residing at Inverclyde View in Largs, had examined three young females in his car on multiple occasions between November 2015 and December 2016. These incidents occurred during lifts provided to and from youth events, often in North Ayrshire Council vehicles.

Despite denying the charges, Gillespie was convicted after a trial at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court. Witness testimonies revealed that the young girls, all with medical conditions, believed Gillespie’s actions were genuine medical assistance. They only realized the misconduct after another youth worker uncovered and reported his behavior.

One girl, who was just 15 at the time, described how Gillespie would ask her to lift her shirt and would touch her with a stethoscope, including her breasts. She recounted an incident where he pulled over during a car journey, claiming concern for her breathing, which made her feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.

A second girl, aged 17 and 18, also testified about Gillespie’s repeated inappropriate conduct during lifts home from youth events. She described feeling especially vulnerable after her father’s death, trusting Gillespie as her only confidant, only to be betrayed. She tearfully explained how Gillespie would justify his actions by claiming he was “doing this to look out for you” and instructing her not to tell anyone.

The third young woman, involved with North Ayrshire Council Services, also detailed how Gillespie would ask her to lift her shirt and touch her with his stethoscope, sometimes checking her blood pressure and blood sugar. She admitted to trusting Gillespie more than others because he always explained what he was doing and insisted it was “between us,” despite her discomfort.

Prosecutor Jennifer Harkins highlighted the coercive element in Gillespie’s conduct, noting that the girls did not perceive his actions as inappropriate at the time. They believed him to be a friend and a youth worker, which led them to consent to the examinations without fully understanding the implications. The court emphasized that Gillespie’s behavior was a clear abuse of his trusted position.

Gillespie’s defense claimed that his actions were “off the books,” but the prosecution argued that he knew what he was doing was wrong. Sheriff Michael Hanlon expressed confidence that the evidence proved beyond reasonable doubt that Gillespie had committed the assaults. He ordered reports, a full risk assessment, and placed Gillespie on the sex offenders register, marking a significant step in addressing this serious misconduct.