CHRIS READINGS FROM SHETLAND SENTENCED IN EDINBURGH
Former Shetland resident Chris Readings was sentenced to 13 years in prison at the High Court in Edinburgh after being convicted of sexually abusing a young boy and girl in the Shetland Islands.The 44-year-old, who relocated to Oxfordshire last year, was found guilty on six charges spanning various locations within the islands between May 2008 and January 2023.
The charges included sodomy, attempted rape, and forcing a 12-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy to perform oral sex and engage in sexual acts with each other.
During the court proceedings on Friday, defence QC Bill Taylor stated that Readings continued to deny the allegations and presented several character references.
These included a scrapbook containing photos and newspaper cuttings about his work supporting female victims of sexual violence and other attacks, a reference from a former ambulance service line manager praising him as a diligent worker, and a letter from a senior police officer in Northampton commending him for risking his life during an incident on the M1, where he stopped at an accident scene and assisted a burning vehicle before emergency services arrived.
Readings had been active in efforts to establish an independent ambulance service in Shetland in recent years.
Judge Lord Brodie commented on the case, saying, "Sexual abuse is cruel, it is selfish, it is damaging, and in my view, it falls to the courts to impose what is, frankly, a punitive sentence." The judge also ordered that Readings’ licence conditions be extended for three years and added his name to the sex offenders register.
Northern Constabulary’s Detective Chief Inspector Kenny Anderson stated, "This was a serious child abuse case which involved multiple agencies working together, leading to inquiries across the United Kingdom.
I also want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the young victims, who, despite enduring prolonged and sustained abuse, have demonstrated immense courage." Despite overwhelming evidence of guilt, Readings maintained his innocence throughout the trial and chose to subject his victims to the trauma of reliving their experiences in court.
