SON’S DEPRAVED SEXUAL ASSAULT ON HIS MUM IN FIFE CARE HOME
A depraved Fife man has been convicted of sexually assaulting his frail, elderly mother in a care home.
The shocking incidents took place in a public area of the home and in one case during a religious service.
The victim, who was in her eighties, is now deceased. Craig Leiper’s vile conduct was witnessed by care workers, a church minister and a woman visiting her own mother at the nursing home.
They did not intervene at the time but concerns about the inappropriate touching grew and the matter was reported to police with Leiper banned from the home.
Leiper claimed he was unhappy about the care being given to his mother at the home and she had asked him to massage her legs because of discomfort.
Leiper, 54, of Hill Street, Inverkeithing, was found guilty after a trial at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
He was convicted of a charge that on a number of occasions between 14th June and 8th July last year at Henderson House nursing home, Link Road, Dalgety Bay, he sexually assaulted his mother, then aged 82.
He repeatedly touched her on the body over her clothing, repeatedly kissed her on the head and body, all without her consent.
Care assistant Donna Shaw, 67, told the court of an incident where Leiper was massaging his mum’s legs in a public lounge area where residents could sit with their visitors.
There were other residents present and she said she saw him thrusting his hand back and forwards between his mum’s legs in her private area.
“I was shocked. There was no need for it. I was stunned,” she said. She had immediately told a colleague what had happened and reported it to the nurse in charge of the home.
Asked why she had not directly intervened she said, “I didn’t know what to do. I was shocked, spoke to a colleague and then reported it. What I saw didn’t look right.”
Mrs Shaw said the woman was constantly receiving phone calls from Leiper and she had commented, “He’s trying to own me.”
The witness said, “It was almost like an obsession. He was phoning her constantly.”
Another incident involved Leiper rubbing his mum’s breast area. Church minister Andrea Fraser was so concerned about Leiper’s actions towards his mum during a service at the home that she reported it to the management.
In his evidence, Leiper said his mum had lived with him before taking ill and going into hospital then the home.
She had a history of health issues and he said he had been caring for her on and off since he was 12 years old.
He denied ever having touched his mum inappropriately saying, “I was close to my mum but not in that way.”
Leiper said that those making the allegations against him were lying, including the minister.
Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said in her summing up, “People get gratification from strange things and it seems he gained more gratification to do this in public.”
Defence solicitor Amy Harley said, “There was something of a witch-hunt after staff took a dislike to him.”
Sheriff Neil Kinnear found Leiper guilty of sexual assault and commented, “I can’t look into your mind. It could have been you being over-protective. It could have been controlling behaviour or just sexual behaviour.”
He called for reports and Leiper was put on the sex offenders register ahead of sentencing on 30th July.
Henderson House Care Home’s website states that it “provides exceptional standards of Residential, Nursing, Dementia and Respite Care for up to 60 residents over three floors.
“The home prides itself on creating a safe and welcoming environment where residents can feel at home, supported by experienced and dedicated staff.”
