Former Shetland Councillor Jailed for Sexual Abuse

A former Shetland councillor, Robert Henderson, 74, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for the historical sexual abuse of two girls and a woman.

Henderson, a businessman and former independent councillor, was convicted of the offenses, which occurred on the island of Yell between 1974 and 1993.

His defense counsel, David Moggach, described Henderson's conviction as a "spectacular fall from grace," particularly in a small community where everyone knows each other.

At the High Court in Glasgow on Thursday, judge Lord Kinclaven addressed Henderson, stating, "Your victims said they felt sick, embarrassed, shocked, and annoyed." While the most serious charge of rape was found not proven, the judge deemed the remaining charges serious enough to warrant a custodial sentence.

Lord Kinclaven emphasized, "The offences cover a significant period of time, and the court requires to mark the seriousness of your offending." Henderson was also placed on the sex offenders register.

The jury in the trial at the High Court in Aberdeen found the rape charge against Henderson not proven by a majority. However, he was convicted of sexually abusing two women, now aged 56 and 54, when they were children in the 1970s.

Henderson's first victim stated that the abuse began when she was 11 and continued until she was 16. The second victim described the abuse happening six to eight times, conservatively estimated, when she was between 12 and 14 years old.

Henderson was also found guilty of sexually assaulting one of his schoolgirl victims when she was an adult. Between the ages of 29 and 31, he assaulted her by touching her breasts.

Despite maintaining his innocence, Henderson was elected as a Shetland councillor in 2007 and 2012 as an independent before stepping down at the last election.

Moggach argued for a non-custodial sentence, highlighting Henderson's low risk of re-offending, first-offender status, and the fact that the last offense occurred in 1993. He also emphasized that one of the complainers reported minimal lasting impact from the abuse and that Henderson was married, retired, and had a successful business career with a history of community service.

Despite these arguments, Lord Kinclaven ultimately sentenced Henderson to 18 months in prison. As he was led away to the cells, Henderson showed no emotion.