EDWARD MONAGHAN FROM HELENSBURGH CONVICTED OF REPEATEDLY RAPING WOMAN WITH SEVERE LEARNING DISABILITIES

In November 2018, a disturbing case emerged involving Edward Monaghan, a 54-year-old man from Helensburgh, who was found guilty of repeatedly assaulting a young woman with significant learning disabilities. The crimes took place over a span of several months, from October 2014 to January 2015, and involved multiple instances of sexual abuse that occurred both at Monaghan’s residence and in a car park near Craigendoran railway station.

Monaghan, who was employed as a council bin man, was convicted after a trial at the High Court in Glasgow. The court heard that the victim, who has a very low IQ and is assessed as having the mental capacity of a five or six-year-old child, was subjected to repeated sexual assaults by Monaghan during private Tae Kwon Do lessons that were supposed to be educational and martial arts-based. The defendant claimed that the woman was a willing participant and admitted to some sexual acts, but he denied engaging in sexual intercourse with her, asserting that she was capable of consent.

During a special filmed hearing presented to the court, the victim herself stated, “I was frightened, but I did what he said. He was a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.” This testimony highlighted her fear and confusion during the incidents, which she was unable to fully understand or resist.

It was revealed that Monaghan first met the woman when she was 16 years old and began teaching her Tae Kwon Do. He then suggested to her parents, who trusted him, that she should have private lessons. Under this arrangement, he would pick her up from her home in his car and take her either to his house or to a nearby car park, where the abuse would occur. The crimes came to light when the woman’s mother noticed her daughter chatting on Facebook with Monaghan. Upon seeing the messages, which contained inappropriate content, she contacted the police, leading to the investigation and subsequent conviction.

Monaghan claimed in court that he believed the woman, who was a virgin, was capable of giving consent. However, prosecutor Angela Gray pointed out that the woman had attended a special school and, when examined by psychologists, identified herself as a child. The court heard that Monaghan had initially believed she was volunteering to help with a learning disabled group he taught, but instead, he exploited her trust for his own sexual gratification. Her parents had entrusted her to him under the understanding that she was going for Tae Kwon Do lessons, not for abuse.

Further evidence showed that Monaghan had sent the woman a lewd Facebook message, to which she responded with confusion, saying, “I don’t understand,” and he replied, “I know.” He also sent her a message saying, “You do have an innocent mind lol.”

The victim’s father described her as very slow at learning, unable to go out alone, and requiring a 24-hour care package. He expressed his betrayal, stating, “I trusted that man. I really trusted him.” Her mother added that she could not be sent to the shops alone because she lacked a sense of time and had no idea when dinner was due.

Judge Robert Weir QC deferred sentencing until the following month, granting Monaghan bail with strict conditions. Monaghan was ordered not to approach his victim and was placed on a curfew from 7 pm to 7 am daily. Additionally, he was required to report daily to Helensburgh police station. The judge emphasized that Monaghan’s bail was continued because he was a first-time offender and had complied with bail conditions, and noted that this did not preclude the possibility of a harsher sentence in the future. Monaghan was also placed on the sex offenders’ register as part of the court’s order.