DISGRACED CARE WORKER ROBERT HERRIOT SENTENCED TO 7 YEARS FOR ABUSING MEN WITH DOWN'S SYNDROME
Robert Herriot was convicted of sexually abusing men with Down's Syndrome who were in his care at the Algrade Home in Humbie, East Lothian.The attacks began in 1993 and involved a series of vile sex assaults.
Herriot, 38 at the time of sentencing, carried out these offenses at a home for handicapped men.
His victims were all trusting and easily led, and Herriot exploited their vulnerability by having sex with one and committing indecent acts on others.
The court was told that Herriot’s abusive behavior had gone on for years, with police suspecting abuse spanning a decade.
His crimes were uncovered after a 1994 probe into the home, which revealed appalling living conditions, physical abuse, and financial irregularities.
Herriot's abuse came to light after victims confided in church workers, leading to more victims stepping forward.
The police finally charged him in 1995, by which time he had also assaulted two men he befriended at a church in Edinburgh’s Wester Hailes scheme.
Herriot was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in the High Court in Edinburgh, though the sentence was criticized as "far too lenient".
Judge Lord Marnoch described most of the offences as falling at "the lower end of the scale in terms of indecency and sexual assault," which caused outrage among victims’ families and disabled campaigners.
Herriot, a native of Edinburgh, faced charges for sexual abuse that had begun in 1993, with the abuse extending over about ten years according to police.
His crimes have left lifelong scars on his victims, and the sentence means he could potentially be released within three and a half years.
An associate stated that Herriot’s wife had an affair that left him on the verge of a breakdown, which may have influenced his behavior.
The case drew significant public anger, with family members and campaigners demanding harsher penalties for such crimes.
