CAMPBELL TAYLOR SHOCKS EDINBURGH WITH SEXUAL ASSAULTS AT LOCAL STABLES

A prominent stables owner from Edinburgh has been found guilty of multiple serious sexual offences involving three women, with additional allegations of inappropriate comments made to a fourth woman. The incidents occurred at various livery yards in Edinburgh, where Campbell Taylor, aged 49, operated and worked, casting a dark shadow over his reputation.

During a four-day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, the court heard detailed accounts from four women who described how Taylor targeted them during their visits or employment at Midkinleith and Rosebank Farms, both located in Currie, Edinburgh. The victims recounted that Taylor had engaged in aggressive and invasive acts, including unclipping their bras, pulling down their trousers to expose their underwear, and striking them with a horse whip. Two of the women specifically reported being hit with the whip, adding a disturbing physical dimension to the abuse.

In addition to these assaults at the farms, Taylor was accused of sexually assaulting one woman during separate shopping trips to Tesco in Galashiels in 2011 and at Hermiston Gait retail park in Edinburgh in 2019. The prosecutor, Corrie Laouadie, emphasized that Taylor’s conduct was systematic and abusive, highlighting that he held a position of authority over the victims, which he exploited to carry out these acts.

Throughout the trial, Taylor maintained his innocence, claiming that the incidents were part of a culture of “practical jokes” and “horseplay” among staff at his farms. His defense argued that the actions, such as unclipping bras and hitting women with a whip, were childish pranks rather than sexual assaults, attempting to downplay the severity of the allegations.

Despite his claims, the court found Taylor guilty of seven sexual offences. As a result, he has been placed on the sex offenders' register on an interim basis. The court also ordered that his name be forwarded to Scottish Ministers, which could lead to restrictions on his ability to work with children and vulnerable adults in the future. Taylor is a director of Pentland Ponies, a horse share business situated at the foot of the Pentland Hills near Currie, Edinburgh.

Sentencing has been deferred until next month, allowing for social work reports and assessments related to restrictions of liberty to be prepared. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness of the offences and the impact on the victims, marking a significant development in the ongoing efforts to address abuse within the equestrian community in Edinburgh.