PAUL GREIG ARRESTED IN ARMADALE FOR HORRIFIC SEXUAL ABUSE IN WEST LOTHIAN

In a chilling case that has shocked the community of Armadale and the wider West Lothian area, police sergeant Paul Greig has been convicted and sentenced for heinous crimes committed over four decades ago. The incident dates back to 1974 and 1975, when Greig, then a young teenager aged 13 and 14, was entrusted with babysitting two young girls in a residence within West Lothian.

Greig, now 51 years old, faced a high court in Edinburgh where he was found guilty of raping the two sisters during the period in question. The victims, who are now women in their 40s, recounted in harrowing detail how Greig subjected them to sexual abuse under the guise of babysitting. The girls, aged between six and seven, and eight and nine at the time, endured a series of terrifying experiences that they described as threats and coercion.

According to their testimony, Greig would initially bathe the girls and dress them in pajamas after their mother had left the house. However, he would then proceed to give them additional baths, during which he would commit acts of sexual assault and rape. The victims expressed that they were gripped by fear, believing that if they disclosed what was happening, their father would be imprisoned, and they would be sent away to a children’s home. These threats and the trauma of the abuse left lasting scars on the women.

The crimes remained hidden for decades, with the victims only reporting the abuse to authorities in January of the previous year. During the trial, which lasted a week in June, the women bravely testified about their experiences. Their accounts highlighted the manipulative tactics used by Greig to silence them and the profound impact the abuse had on their lives.

In his closing remarks, Advocate Depute Andrew Stewart QC emphasized that the delay in reporting these crimes did not imply the victims were fabricating their stories. He pointed out that many victims of sexual assault choose to remain silent due to threats or fear of disbelief, a reality that underscores the importance of believing and supporting survivors.

Judge Lord Kinclaven, presiding over the case, sentenced Greig to eight years in prison. The judge acknowledged the severe harm caused to the victims, stating, “The complainers were terrified, it is clear you have caused a high level of harm. There is no alternative to a significant custodial sentence.”

Paul Greig, a married man with a grown-up son and daughter, had joined the police force in 1993. However, his career has been marred by this case, and he has been suspended from duty since January 2010. Last month, he was also placed on the sex offenders register, marking a significant step in the justice process for the victims and the community of Armadale.