Foster carer is cleared of sex attacks

A fo s t e r carer accused of molesting teenagers in his care has been cleared of all wrongdoing.

Norman Williamson, 81, who was alleged to have forced himself on a 14-yearold girl, was found not guilty following a trial at Paisley Sheriff Court.

It was claimed Williamson, who is also a retired driving instructor, kissed the girl, repeatedly placed his hands on her legs, and touched her bottom.

The witness, now an adult, told the court she was subjected to various sexual assaults at a house in Paisley, in Williamson’s car, and at Craig Tara Caravan Park, in Ayr.

During the trial, defence lawyer Ian McLellan accused the woman of making up her allegations against Williamson and asked her why she waited 10 years to make the claims against him.

She replied: “It was always at the back of my mind.

“I just wanted to phone up and bring it forward.”

The lawyer also asked why Williamson and his wife, who had fostered 35 children over the years in the Paisley area, had never received any complaints about their care until the present court case.

The witness said she felt she had to speak up about the alleged incidents.

Williamson was accused of three charges of sexual assault on two teenage girls.

He denied using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards the first girl on a number of occasions between August 2004 and October 2005.

Prosecutors also claimed he forced himself on the girl, when she was aged 14 and 15, and repeatedly kissed her.

He also denied a third charge of using lewd, indecent and libidinous practices and behaviour towards another girl on a number of occasions, both at his home and at Craig Tara Caravan Park, between January and October 2005.

At the close of the case, Mr McLellan asked Sheriff Lindsey Kooner to acquit Williamson.

The lawyer said: “It is even more difficult for him to try and prove his innocence 12 years after the events when there was an investigation at the time. He looked after 35 children over the years and some children had long term placements.

“These are the only children to say he did this. This was at a time when there were other children within the house.

“The risks would be unfathomable and the possibility of not being caught had this had happened would be impossible.

“Becaus e o f false allegations Mr Williamson, who is 81, is in the dock.”

After leaving the bench to decide on a verdict Sheriff Kooner found Williamson, who has been with his wife for 55 years, not guilty of all the charges he faced and he was told he could leave the dock as a free man.