JAMES KEERS OF CONDORRAT SENTENCED FOR ABUSE AT SCOTTISH STABLES

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local community, James Keers, a riding instructor from Condorrat, has been sentenced to prison for a series of disturbing sexual offenses committed over a span of more than a decade across various locations in Central Scotland.

Keers, aged 56, was found guilty of abusing five teenage girls aged between 13 and 16, with the abuse occurring at different stables and riding centers throughout the region. The court heard that Keers often used his position as a riding instructor to gain the trust of his young victims, sometimes offering them the use of his own horses as a means of establishing a rapport. One girl, in particular, was taken on multiple rides into wooded areas under the pretense of helping her build confidence, only to be subjected to inappropriate and criminal conduct during these excursions.

The incidents came to light when one of Keers' victims, who was just 13 when the abuse began but is now 25, reported the matter to the police in August 2014. This victim's disclosure prompted a thorough investigation that uncovered a pattern of misconduct dating back to the year 2000. Police inquiries extended across several equestrian facilities, including the Fishcross Equestrian Centre in Clackmannanshire, the Kingsbarns Equestrian Centre near Falkirk, and West Riverside Farm in the Carron Valley, revealing that Keers had targeted multiple young girls at different sites.

During the court proceedings held at Stirling Sheriff Court on December 2, the prosecution detailed the extent of Keers' predatory behavior. Karen Wilson, the deputy fiscal, outlined how the oldest victim, now 28, was targeted while stabling her pony at a farm near Denny, Stirling. She recounted that as a 13-year-old girl, she began to notice Keers' hand slipping and brushing against her bottom during their time together in the stables. The situation escalated when Keers, a married man and father, put his hands down the back of her jodhpurs, touching her bare bottom for approximately 15 seconds. The young girl was left in shock but chose to remain silent at the time, fearing repercussions.

Further allegations revealed that Keers continued to touch her on other occasions, often when other people were present but obscured from view by the horses. The victim eventually decided to speak out after another girl, who was also under Keers' influence, was targeted at two farms near Denny. This girl needed to get rid of her own horse and was offered one of Keers' horses, leading to her becoming one of his riding students. Keers approached her mother to seek permission to take her on confidence-boosting treks, which he did multiple times when she was 13. During one such trek in the summer of 2004, Keers instructed her to dismount her horse in a wooded area, where he then inappropriately touched her through her clothing despite her protests. Over subsequent weeks, he continued to take her on similar rides, touching her through and inside her jodhpurs, all while she kept silent out of fear of losing her horse.

The court also heard about disturbing text messages sent by Keers to one of his victims, initially discussing horses but later asking invasive questions about her and her friends' sexual orientations, including inquiries about strap-ons. Another girl, whom Keers was teaching, was groped under the guise of checking the fit of her saddle. Additionally, he made a shocking comment to a 16-year-old girl he assaulted, stating, “Everyone that’s rode with me I’ve had a feel of their arse.”

Keers was interviewed by police in late 2014, during which he admitted to various allegations of guilt. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of lewd and libidinous practices towards 13-year-old girls, three counts of unlawful sexual activity with girls under 16, and two counts of sexual assault against 16-year-old girls. The offenses spanned from August 2000 to August 2014.

Represented by defense solicitor Stephen Maguire, Keers, who resides at Dalshannon View, Condorrat, North Lanarkshire, had no significant prior convictions. Maguire acknowledged the gravity of Keers' actions, describing them as a gross breach of trust and emphasizing that his conduct was reprehensible in the extreme.

In sentencing, Sheriff William Gilchrist emphasized the seriousness of the crimes, stating that Keers' behavior involved the betrayal of the trust placed in him by the victims and their families over a period of 14 years. The sheriff ordered that Keers be subjected to an extended period of supervision following his custodial sentence, which was deemed inevitable given the severity of his offenses. Keers was also ordered to be placed on the sex offenders' register for life and reported to Scottish Ministers for consideration of inclusion on the list of individuals prohibited from working with children.

As Keers was led away to begin his sentence, he showed no visible emotion. However, a woman, believed to be his daughter, was seen sobbing on the public benches nearby, highlighting the personal toll of the case. The court's verdict underscores the importance of safeguarding vulnerable young people and holding offenders accountable for their heinous actions.