KEVIN REID CONVICTED OF RAPE IN DUNDEE'S SOUTH ROAD PARK
In November 2020, a serious criminal case unfolded in Dundee involving a young woman who was sexually assaulted in South Road Park.The incident took place under a tree within the park, and the accused, Kevin Reid, aged 18 at the time, was charged with the heinous act.
Reid had initially denied any involvement in the assault, claiming he was not present at the scene.
However, after a thorough trial at the High Court in Livingston, a jury reached a majority verdict, finding him guilty of the crime of rape.
Despite the conviction for this particular incident, Reid was acquitted of three additional charges of rape and two counts of sexual assault involving three other young girls.
These charges were dismissed with verdicts of 'not proven,' leaving some questions unresolved regarding those allegations.
During the proceedings, Reid attempted to discredit the victims by suggesting they had conspired to frame him, citing a text message in which one of the girls threatened to 'ruin' his life as part of his defense.
The victim, a girl who cannot be named for legal reasons, provided detailed testimony about the events leading up to and during the assault.
She recounted that she had been drinking heavily on the night of the attack.
She described how Reid had repeatedly tried to hug her at a house party and made inappropriate comments, such as: 'Oh you’re so pretty.
I want to sleep with you.' After leaving the party with other friends, they began walking home together, but the situation took a dark turn in the park.
According to her account, Reid led her under a tree and subjected her to a sexual assault on the grass.
She described his behavior as uncomfortable and frightening, stating, 'Kevin was complaining about his hands being cold.
He kept touching me on the leg and tried to roll on top of me.' She further explained that Reid put his hand down her trousers and asked to have sex, which she refused.
She added, 'I tried to move his hand.
I asked him to stop and he didn’t stop.
I was scared.' She also testified that Reid then held her by the back of her neck and forced her into performing a sex act on him.
During the ordeal, she attempted to call a female friend for help but dialed the wrong number and, subsequently, her phone's battery died.
She described her emotional state, saying, 'I was crying quite a lot.
I spoke to someone as soon as I got in.' Evidence presented in court included DNA analysis from under Reid’s fingernails and a saliva swab from the victim’s neck, where Reid had left a mark often referred to as a 'hickey' or 'love bite.' These pieces of evidence supported the victim’s account of the assault.
The court’s decision was to convict Reid of the rape, with sentencing deferred pending reports.
As part of his punishment, Reid’s name will be added to the sex offenders register, and details of his conviction will be shared with Scottish Ministers under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups laws, ensuring ongoing monitoring and notification.
