Ex-rugby player found guilty of sex attacks

Published 23rd Nov 2015

A retired rugby player has been convicted of two sex attacks on two men.

Robert Harvey, 38, preyed on his victims - including another former rugby player - after nights out socialising.

The self-employed builder has been a member of Cartha Queen's Park Rugby Club in Glasgow's south side since he was 14-years-old.

Harvey was accused of assaulting nine different people - including two females - that he knew.

During his trial he accepted five incidents involving touching and cuddling other men, but denied seven others claiming that four of the alleged victims were lying.

The jury at Glasgow Sheriff Court convicted Harvey of two charges of indecent assault between January 2000 and April 2004 at houses in Paisley and Dumbreck, Glasgow.

The two victims who cannot be identified, gave evidence against Harvey, from Hillington, Glasgow.

A 33-year-old man told the jury of an incident in the year 2000 after being on a night out with Harvey.

He and Harvey had gone back to a house after a night out and it was decided Harvey would sleep on the bedroom floor.

The man told the court he woke up to find Harvey in the bed with him.

He was asked: "How were you aware that Robert was in the bed with you?"

The witness replied: "He was touching me."

The man added that he "jumped out of bed" and went to sleep on the floor.

In his evidence he said that it "wasn't anything prolonged" and that he was confused about it.

The man told the jury Harvey has since apologised for what happened.

His second victim, a 33-year-old former rugby player told of an incident in April 2004.

He described being at another friend's house with Harvey for a night in, when they were drinking and socialising, and staying overnight.

The man told the court he went to bed but was later woken up.

He said: "Mr Harvey appeared in the room and explained that there was no other places to sleep, he had to share a bed with me."

The man said he had "no reason to be anxious" because he had always got on with Harvey.

He was woken up later on in the night to find himself being inappropriately touched by Harvey.

The man said he told Harvey that wasn't something he was interested in before getting up and finding another place to sleep.

The jury heard Harvey "struggled" with his sexuality in the past.

Sheriff Sam Cathcart deferred sentence until next month and put Harvey on the sex offenders' register.