Family of woman abused in East Lothian Council care home welcome conviction of attacker

Today former care home worker Robert Wilson was convicted of sexually assaulting vulnerable resident Yvonne Carnie. 

Wilson targeted Yvonne, who was 68-years-old at the time, during his shifts at The Abbey care home in North Berwick.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Yvonne stayed at the council-run unit as she needed round-the-clock care due to progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), a type of brain disorder that impacts mobility.

The sick predator was finally snared after the brave mum-of-three reported her experience to the police.

Sadly, Yvonne died at the age of 70 before seeing justice but jurors returned a guilty verdict after watching a video statement which was recorded at an earlier police interview.

Digby Brown’s Non-Accidental Team is now supporting Yvonne’s family by investigating East Lothian Council to establish if there were any failures that allowed the abuse to happen at the home which has since closed down.

Welcoming the conviction of Wilson, our clients said: “While this verdict brings some closure, it can never undo the profound suffering our mother endured.

“Nothing will help us recover our mother’s lost final years.

“The horrific abuse she suffered over an extended period robbed her – and us – of any peace during the final years of her life.

“She was a beautiful, kind, and caring woman who deserved to feel protected.

“Instead, she was stripped of her basic decency and her voice.

“This case exposes the dark reality of predators who target those with debilitating conditions, like PSP or dementia, assuming they will never be heard.

“The traumatic effect of the crimes committed against her impacted her quality of life severely.

“She struggled to sleep, to socialise, or to find any peace from the nightmare of suffering sexual abuse at the hands of a person who was supposed to be her carer.

“In her final years our mother was stripped of her dignity and her right to safety.

“We can at least take solace in knowing that we have honoured our mother’s memory by ensuring that the perpetrator of these heinous crimes will never be able to inflict them on any person again.

“It was the thought of others having to go through what she had that gave her the courage and bravery to speak up.

“The final years of any relative’s life is traumatic enough. The pain of watching our otherwise sociable and happy mum struggle to cope, and the lack of support offered by the organisation responsible for her care, has left us all with a deep sense of anger and injustice.

“This verdict goes someway to addressing these feelings. Sadly, our mother did not live to see justice prevail and she passed away without ever truly feeling safe again.

“We want this verdict to highlight a systemic failure to protect the most vulnerable. Her final years were stolen from her and us, and that is a loss we can never recover.”