Shetland Police Scotland officer raped woman and teenage girl

A police officer has been found guilty of raping a woman and a teenage girl in Shetland.

Carmichael John Williamson, known as John, faced four charges said to have been committed between 2014 and 2022 at locations in the islands.

The 32-year-old was accused of raping an adult woman on two occasions in 2020 and 2022 and of raping a teenage girl on an occasion between April 2014 and October 2015 and of having underage sex with her in 2014.

Williamson, of Burra, in Shetland, has denied the charges.

On Thursday at the High Court in Edinburgh, he was found guilty of three counts of rape and one count of sex with an underage girl.

Carmichael John Williamson will be sentenced at a later date Police Scotland

He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on December 8.

The judge placed him on the sex offenders register.

Williamson was in tears as he was placed in handcuffs and mouthed “I love you” to his family as he was taken away.

The High Court in Edinburgh previously heard Williamson is a police constable with more than ten years service and is currently suspended.

Prosecutor David Dickson KC said in his closing address to jurors that the two women were credible and reliable witnesses.

Police ‘committed to rooting out’ criminal officers

Following Thursday’s verdict, Detective Superintendent Stevie Bertram, of Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit, paid tribute to Williamson’s victims and commended them for coming forward.

He said: “Reports of violence against women and girls are rising and it is of the utmost importance for Police Scotland to play its part in tackling this national emergency.

“Our thoughts are very much with the victims in this case, and I wholeheartedly commend their strength in reporting these crimes. This was the crucial first step in bringing Williamson to justice.

“Williamson will now face the consequences of his actions and today’s outcome should highlight our determination to relentlessly pursue the perpetrators in these investigations. I hope that this outcome may bring some closure to those affected by this case

“We understand how difficult it can be to report these kinds of offences, particularly when the perpetrator is a police officer. I want to reassure the public we will identify and investigate these officers whether they are serving or retired, or whether their crimes are committed on-duty or, as in this instance, off-duty.

“We are absolutely committed to rooting individuals who are involved in criminality out of this organisation.”