December 2013
Millport Pipe Major guilty of sex assault on teen
Douglas McArthur who led Millport Pipe Band has been found guilty after a trial of sexually assaulting a teenage female member
The pipe major of Millport Pipe Band has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a female drummer.
Douglas McArthur assaulted the girl in his car at Cumbrae Slip after he had given her a run to the 10.30pm ferry following a band fund-raising event.
McArthur, 47, of Copeland Crescent, Millport, who is also watch commander of the retained fire brigade on the island, had denied touching the teenager on the breast and putting his hand under her kilt.
However, he was found guilty after a trial at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Friday and placed on the sex offenders’ register with immediate effect.
The public benches were cleared for the victim to give evidence, but she broke down in tears soon after taking the witness stand and Sheriff Iona McDonald allowed her a few minutes to compose herself before resuming.
In response to questions from Depute Fiscal Claire McEvinney, the girl, who was 16 at the time of the assault, told the court that McArthur – whom she looked on as a father figure – usually gave her a run to the ferry after band events on the island.
On the night in question, August 16, she said she was alone in the car with
McArthur and she described details of the assault.
She said: “When he put his hand up my kilt and felt my shorts he said I was cheating.”
Afterwards, when she was leaving the car to board the ferry, she said McArthur gave her a hug and kissed her on the cheek.
She told Ms McEvinney: “I got on well with him but was shocked. I was getting a lift to the ferry from him every week. Normally he would hug and kiss me goodbye but nothing like that had happened before.
“When I got home I tried not to show any reaction to my family. I was feeling scared, shocked and embarrassed.”
After the assault she stopped going to the band for about three weeks, then eventually returned for a time.
She told the court she had told her best friend, as well as the Drum Sergeant of the pipe band, George Lynch, who “basically guessed what had happened before I told him.”
The girl’s mother told the court it was almost two months before her daughter had told her about the assault. But beforehand, she had noticed a change in the girl’s behaviour. Her daughter, who normally had a bubbly personality, was spending a lot of time in her room and not socialising with other members of the family.
The mother told the court she was very upset and surprised because she didn’t think McArthur would do that.
“I went to see him on 19 October. I wanted to hear what he had to say about it. At first he seemed surprised then he admitted it and said he had made a mistake.
He said his hand may have slipped down her bra. He said it was 15 seconds he wished had never happened.“He said my daughter had been over friendly towards him and had been leading him on but he read the signs wrong.
“I was shocked and betrayed by him because he was my friend and I didn’t think he would do that to myself or my daughter. I know she wouldn’t lead him on.”
