RICHARD TAYLOR FROM LAURENCEKIRK AND STONEHAVEN SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE OF 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL

In a case that has shocked the local communities of Laurencekirk and Stonehaven, Richard Taylor, a 39-year-old teacher, was sentenced to over two years in prison after admitting to engaging in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl. The girl, who was a member of a Christian youth group that Taylor helped to organize, regarded him as a spiritual adviser and trusted figure.

According to court records, Taylor would frequently take the girl aside and encourage her to participate in sexual acts, beginning in the summer of 2002. The relationship, which was initially described as consensual, continued in secrecy even after the girl turned 16, extending for an additional two years. Taylor, who resides in Canmore Park, Stonehaven, previously pleaded guilty to a charge of acting in a lewd and libidinous manner towards the girl during the period from June 14, 2002, to July 20, 2003.

During the sentencing at the High Court in Edinburgh, Lord Turnbull condemned Taylor’s actions, describing them as a “gross breach of trust.” He emphasized the importance of protecting children who are placed in the care of adults for educational, religious, or social purposes, stating, “Children given into the trust of others for educational, religious or social purposes require to be protected from adult sexual desires.”

Lord Turnbull sentenced Taylor to two years and eight months in prison. The court heard that Taylor’s neighbors were taken aback by the news, describing him as a man who had “kept himself to himself,” and expressing their shock at the revelations.

The court also revealed that the victim was made to feel “quite special” by Taylor’s attention, which included sending her text messages and secretly meeting her on multiple occasions. The abuse began when Taylor, in June 2002, picked up the girl in his car. During one of these encounters, he performed a sexual act on her and expressed a desire to take her home to bed, marking the start of the abusive relationship. Several similar incidents occurred on other occasions.

It was further disclosed that Taylor organized a Christian youth group, which he ran with his wife and parents. The girl attended this group, and in July 2002, Taylor persuaded her to go to his room at the group’s summer camp, where they engaged in “consensual sexual activity.” Additionally, Taylor arranged for the girl and himself to stay at a hotel in Edinburgh in April 2003.

The misconduct came to light last June after the girl confided in friends, who encouraged her to report the matter to the police. Following the revelations, Taylor was suspended from his teaching position at Mearns Academy in Laurencekirk, where he had worked for more than 15 years, pending further investigation.