NEIL WILLIS SHOCKS DUMFRIES AND WEST MOORS WITH EARLY RELEASE AFTER SEXUAL ABUSE CASE

In September 2009, a woman who endured horrific sexual abuse as a child publicly shared her distress upon encountering her former attacker in Dumfries. Neil Willis, a convicted paedophile, was released from prison earlier than expected, a fact that left her feeling sick and deeply unsettled.

Willis, now 58 years old and residing in Dumfries, had previously been sentenced to a seven-year term in 2003 for a series of heinous sexual offenses committed during the 1970s. Despite the severity of his crimes, which included two counts of rape, two indecent assaults on children, and five counts of indecency involving a boy and a girl under 16, he served only four years of his sentence before being released.

The woman, who was abused between the ages of seven and twelve, recounted her shock upon seeing Willis in Dumfries. She expressed her feelings of horror, stating, “No-one told me he was getting out of prison and I must admit I felt sick when he was pointed out to me. I thought well ‘that’s it then’ his sentence is over and mine is still going on. I had often wondered what it would feel like, how I would react.”

She further explained her ongoing anxiety, saying, “So I was left to get on with it and was forever wondering and waiting for that call to hear that someone in the town had seen him. I felt sick and very, very concerned at the thought of him on the loose again. No-one had the decency or respect to inform me that he will be wandering the streets again and able to approach my children and me if he wants.”

Willis’s criminal history is extensive. His offenses took place over a five-year period from 1973 to 1978, when he was stationed at West Moors in Dorset while serving in the Royal Ordnance Corps. The crimes included multiple counts of sexual assault against minors, which led to his conviction at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Iraina McGroarty, director of the South West Rape Crisis and Sexual Abuse Centre, commented on the emotional toll such encounters can have on victims. She said, “Any woman when the man is released from prison will be terrified to see him on street. It can bring back so many memories. When the man is in prison the woman can get on with her life. But when they get released women can start to feel uneasy and it’s really stressful. Organisations like ourselves are here to help women in these situations.”

Legislation currently mandates that victims should be notified if their abuser is released early from prison. Despite this, the woman expressed her ongoing mental scars, sharing, “I still worry from the moment I wake up till the moment I go to sleep. I really can’t have anyone else suffering that way. I find it difficult having relationships with people. I have trouble trusting people.”

Reflecting on her feelings towards Dumfries, she added, “It has taken years but I can come up to Dumfries now and have good memories and I miss the place, but now I worry I may relive it all again.”