The Lanarkshire Sex Offender, Gerry Crawley, a trade union leader convicted of many sexual assaults against a woman evaded incarceration today. A court was informed that Unison regional organiser Gerry Crawley was attired in a frock and French knickers while executing a sexual act in the presence of a startled woman.
Gerry Crawley groped the same woman’s posterior while conversing with football enthusiasts in a crowded pub prior to the Scottish Cup final. Gerry Crawley, 60, a married individual whose responsibilities include representing police and fire service personnel, was convicted of sexually abusing a lady on many occasions between January 2016 and July 2018.
Sheriff Thomas Millar also found Gerry Crawley guilty of doing a sexual act in the presence of the woman at her residence in 2018. Following the examination of background reports, the sheriff placed him under social work supervision for a duration of 12 months.
He will remain on the sex offenders’ register for the same duration. Gerry Crawley, a former Labour councillor from East Kilbride, Lanarkshire, has refuted both allegations.
The 37-year-old woman recounted the incident at her residence, stating that Gerry Crawley came to visit while she was alone. She informed Hamilton Sheriff Court: “He requested to view my trousers.” I was clad in leggings, and he remarked that he would display his trousers instead.
“He had white French knickers on. They were laced and partially see through. “He asked if I would touch them and I said no. He asked again and I touched the side of them, hoping he would then go.”
But, the woman said, Gerry Crawley didn’t leave and instead carried out a sex act, leaving her “shocked, frightened and panicked”. She told prosecutor John Coogan: “I was standing against the banister in the hall. I couldn’t go anywhere.
“Then he went to the toilet before leaving quite quickly.” Asked if she reported the incident at the time, the woman replied: “No. I thought it was something I could compartmentalise, put in a box and not think about.”
The woman also told of an incident in a bar in Battlefield, Glasgow, on the day of the Celtic-Aberdeen Scottish Cup final in 2017. She said: “Gerry Crawley had tickets and we went for a drink before walking to Hampden.
“The bar was very busy with Aberdeen fans. Gerry Crawley put his hand down the back of my pants. “I was talking to an Aberdeen fan. I think I asked Gerry Crawley to stop but it must have gone on for five minutes or so.
“He was touching and squeezing my bottom. I was shocked because it was a public place.” The woman also alleged during her evidence that Gerry Crawley acted inappropriately towards her on two other occasions, once in a house and once in a taxi.
The woman claimed Gerry Crawley touched her private parts while in a taxi with other passengers including her husband, and later texted her to ask if she had liked it. She told the court the incident had left her feeling “dirty and embarrassed”.
Questioned by defence advocate Patricia Bailey, the witness denied having a romantic relationship with Gerry Crawley in which she was the “dominant” partner. She rejected a defence suggestion that they had an arrangement where Gerry Crawley would visit her home regularly to clean while wearing women’s clothing.
The woman said: “It happened once. I thought it would be a useful outlet for him. Mostly he just wanted to talk about pants.” Ms Bailey also put it to the witness that she and Gerry Crawley would touch each other’s pants and private parts, and this was consensual behaviour.
She replied: “No. That’s absolutely wrong.” Giving evidence, Gerry Crawley insisted none of the assaults happened.
He said: “We had a relationship involving consensual touching etc etc. I would touch her underwear and her bottom.”It was always after I had been round at her house cleaning. I would be dressed up in ladies’ clothing. It happened on dozens of occasions.”
Gerry Crawley claimed he had asked the woman’s permission before putting his hand inside her jeans in the pub on the day of the cup final. But the court also heard from Gerry Crawley’s daughter that he had confessed to having an “inappropriate” relationship with the woman.
Finding him guilty, Sheriff Millar said it appeared the woman had “accommodated your interests” to a certain extent. But the sheriff added: “She said she was not comfortable and I accept there were other incidents that went beyond what she was prepared to consent to.”
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