CHRISTIAN SOLDIER RAPED TWO RECRUITS
Justice after 40 years
A former Salvation Army captain raped two female recruits but escaped justice for almost 40 years.
Robert Chisholm, 70, was kicked out of the Christian charity in the 1980s when it emerged he had got two women, including one of the rape victims, pregnant.
He intimidated his victims into silence by telling them no one would believe their claims.
But he was finally brought to trial for his crimes af ter his f irst v ictim summoned the courage to report him to police in 2014.
On Friday, a jury at the High Court in Glasgow found him guilty of two rapes and judge Lord Turnbul l deferred sentencing until September 30.
The judge told Chisholm: “The evidence led in this court disclosed that you engaged in a history of disgracefully immoral and uncaring conduct.”
Chisholm was cleared of similar sex attacks on another female Salvation Army member and of indecently assaulting a fourth.
The court was told that one of the women he raped became pregnant and had his child.
One of the women who gave evidence against the bul lying predator said yesterday: “It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do in my life and I hope I never have to do it again.
“I’m glad that justice has been done. I’m relieved. It has taken a long time.” She added: “It happened 39 years ago and I just want to forget about it and get on with my life.”
Chisholm, knownown as Bert, was a Salvationvation Army captain – the equivalent of a churchhurch minister – in Ayrshire in the lateate 1970s.
His wife was also involved in the organisation.
He was describedibed in court as “a big headad who loved himself ”.
He raped thee f irst victim at his homeome in Saltcoats shortly after her ownwn 21st birthday party in 1978.
The woman – now 59 – recalled trying to fight him off. She said he did not speak during the attack.
She told the jury: “I did not expect this to happen. He said after it, “You wanted that.’”
The witness remembered going home to bed and “crying all night”.
She said prior to that evening Chisholm had been someone she “respected” because of his standing in the Salvation Army.
He struck again around late 1979 after moving to Kilmarnock.
Chisholm raped the second victim – who was 20 at the time – after they had been out selling the organisation’s War Cry magazine.
She believed he was driving her home but instead he pounced in his car near to derelict flats in the town.
The victim – now 56 – said in court: “He tried to kiss and cuddle.
“I was scared. I had been struggling in the chair to get away from him. He then had sex with me. He saw me crying, but he just kept going.”
The woman told the court Chisholm threatened to reveal she had once been abused by a family member if she spoke up about the rape.
Chisholm, from Knightswood, Glasgow, did not give evidence at his trial but denied all charges.
In his closing speech, prosecutor Steven Borthwick branded Chisholm “a determined sexual predator”.
He added: “He betrayed trust in the most appalling way. Having carried out depraved sexual attacks, he instilled a fear that they would not be believedeved ensuring their silence.”
A separate allegation that Chisholm indecently assaulted the second nd victim was found not proven.
He was further cleared of two rape charges against a third female recruit – not proven and not guilty.
He was also found not guilty of indecently assaulting a fourth young woman from the organisation.
Chisholm betrayed trust in the most appalling way. He instilled a fear that victims would not be believed