Man sexually assaulted bed-bound woman by letting himself into her home

A man repeatedly let himself into a bed-bound woman’s home before sexually assaulting her.

Archibald Young was arrested after his 51-year-old victim, who was barely able to speak due to illness, was able to tell her family, “Archie keeps touching me”.

The 80-year-old was a trusted family friend who had a key to the woman’s home in Stirling so he could help her after her carers left.

Falkirk Sheriff Court heard the woman, who lived alone, had been diagnosed with progressive MS in 2007, had been bedbound for five years, and was fed by a tube.

Prosecutor Jamie Hillend said: “Her speech and communication abilities have decreased over time.

“She rarely speaks unless she needs something and will do so using as few words as possible.”

Mr Hillend said over the past seven or eight years, Young would “visit her often, usually around 9pm after her carers had left”.

The court heard that on five or six occasions between May and July 2025, he touched her sexually through her clothing. His victim said nothing – and gave no indication she was consenting.

Finally, on July 28, he went over to her house around 9.30pm, went into her bedroom and closed the door.

Mr Hillend said the victim was “sweating and mumbling”. Young then sexually assaulted her.

He later admitted that “he could tell from the look on her face that she was angry”.

Around 5.30pm the next day, the woman disclosed the sexual assault to her 25-year-old daughter and her 76-year-old father.

She told her father, “Archie keeps.”

Mr Hillend said: “Her daughter asked, ‘Archie keeps what?’

“Eventually the complainer replied, ‘touching me’.”

Her daughter asked, “Do you mean down below?” to which the victim – who the court heard could move her right hand a very short distance – gave a thumbs up.

Mr Hillend said the daughter felt that her mother had been trying to communicate something to her for a while, but had been unable to verbalise it.

The family contacted police.

Young told officers “I know what this is about” and admitted what he had done.

Young, of Stirling, pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

Sheriff William Gilchrist deferred sentence until January 7 for reports and continued bail in the meantime. He placed Young on the sex offenders’ register.