An Inverness man wept and told his family that he loved them moments after being convicted on Tuesday of raping and assaulting two women.
James Gilliard, 35, was about to be remanded in custody when he turned from the dock to give relatives sitting in the public benches at the High Court in Edinburgh a thumbs up gesture. Crying loudly, he told family members who were also weeping openly in court: “I love you.”
Jurors had just returned guilty verdicts on charges of rape, assault and breach of the peace against Gilliard, of Craigton Avenue. The builder, who has previous convictions, had spent the past week denying allegations that he abused his female victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Edinburgh High Court heard how Gilliard raped a 31-year-old woman at an address in Kirkcaldy, Fife, on an occasion between March and June 2005. Before sexually assaulting the female, Gilliard had physically assaulted her by throwing her down a flight of stairs. The court also heard how on an occasion between January 1 2010 and February 28 2010, Gilliard raped his second victim, a 35-year-old woman, at an address in Inverness. He had also previously physically assaulted her by repeatedly punching, slapping, kicking and striking her on the head and body.
The court also heard that on May 15 2015, at an address in Inverness, Gilliard committed a breach of the peace by shouting, swearing at a woman, who also cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Following conviction, it emerged that Gilliard had previous convictions for assault and breach of the peace. Judge Lady Carmichael deferred sentence on Gilliard for the court to obtain reports about his character. She added: “Mr Gilliard, you have been convicted of a number of serious offences. I will defer sentence for the court to obtain a Criminal Justice Social Work Report.”
Defence solicitor advocate Iain Paterson told the court that he’d reserve his mitigation until the sentencing hearing. He added: “He accepts that these offences can only result in the imposition of a custodial term.”
