Monk Mark Paterson Has Aberdeen Indecent Assault Conviction Overturned

BBC News
January 22, 2014

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-25761166

A monk put on the sex offenders register after being found guilty of indecently assaulting a woman at the University of Aberdeen has had his conviction overturned.

Mark Paterson, now 55, was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service in 2006.

He had been found guilty after a five-day trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court.

The conviction has now been quashed at the Justiciary Appeal Court in Edinburgh.

'Miscarriage of justice'

Mr Paterson said: "I am delighted. I am over the moon."

The university's Catholic Society had claimed he was the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

The case was referred to appeal judges in 2012 by the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.

Lady Smith, who heard the appeal with Lady Dorrian and Lord Philip, said: "We will allow this appeal in relation to the fresh evidence and non-disclosure grounds and the outcome is the conviction will be quashed."

The offences were said to have taken place between 2002 and 2004 at the university's Chaplaincy Centre.