EDWARD REID OF AIRDRIE SENTENCED FOR DECADE OF ABUSE AGAINST SISTERS

In a harrowing case that has shocked the community of Airdrie, a man named Edward Reid has been convicted of a series of heinous crimes committed against his own sisters, Sarah McLeod and Chelsea Downing. The abuse, which spanned over ten years from 2003 to 2013, was only brought to light after the sisters chose to disclose their suffering to their mother in September 2020, prompting her to report Reid to the authorities.

Reid, now 32 years old, faced a lengthy trial at the High Court in Edinburgh, where the jury found him guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault and rape. His actions, which began when he was just 12 years old, included repeated rapes and molestation of his sisters, causing lifelong trauma. The court heard that Reid attempted to defend himself by claiming that his sisters had conspired against him to seek compensation for criminal injuries, but these claims were dismissed by the jury.

Following his conviction, Reid was sentenced to a total of ten years in prison. He received a six-year sentence for the assaults on both sisters, which was handed down by Judge Thomas Welsh KC. Additionally, he was given a separate ten-year sentence for the repeated rapes of Chelsea, which will run concurrently with the other sentence. As part of his punishment, Reid will be registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The sisters, who have chosen to waive their anonymity, spoke publicly about their ordeal. Chelsea, who was only six years old when the abuse began, expressed her relief at the verdict, stating, “I’m happy that the judge and jury saw through his persona and saw him for the beast that he is. There are no winners here today. It’s just about justice and making sure he’s not able to do the same thing to anyone else. We could have applied for compensation and not gone to court. So why would we put ourselves through a trial if that’s what it was all about? Why would we drag our mum and the rest of the family through something like this for the sake of money?”

She added, “I’m really pleased with the sentence he got. I wanted to see double figures and that’s what we got.”

Sarah, now 29 and a mother of two, also shared her feelings, saying, “What he did not only affected Chelsea and me but it also hurt our entire family. We’ve lost so many people because of what he did. It really tore us apart. I’m really glad that we won’t need to see his face for 10 years now.”

During the trial, the court heard that Reid began molesting his sisters when he was only 12. The judge, Thomas Welsh KC, sentenced him to six years for the assaults on both girls. The court also found him guilty of raping Chelsea multiple times between the ages of 20 and 23, with these sentences to run concurrently. The prosecution presented evidence that Reid had also physically restrained and strangled Chelsea, and forced Sarah’s head into a pillow during the assaults.

Defense lawyer Lili Prais requested leniency, highlighting Reid’s ongoing support from his partner of 14 years and suggesting that he is at a “low risk” of reoffending. She expressed hope that his time in prison could be used constructively. However, Judge Welsh emphasized the gravity of Reid’s crimes, stating, “You have been convicted of a very grave and serious catalogue of abuse and rapes against your sisters when they were just children and teenagers. When these offences started, you were only a child yourself. The sentence must reflect the damage you did to your sisters over this lengthy period.”

The judge also acknowledged Reid’s previous good character and his denial of the charges, but noted the victim impact statements which detailed the lifelong trauma inflicted on the sisters. Reid appeared via video link during sentencing and showed no emotional reaction, while his family sat in the courtroom visibly distressed. The court’s verdict underscores the severity of his crimes and the lasting impact on his victims, who continue to suffer from flashbacks, nightmares, and emotional scars.