A businessman who used his position as a Royal Marine to sexually abuse boys in his care has been told prison is “inevitable” for his crimes.
Rowland Reilly, 57, preyed on seven members of the Royal Marine cadets at locations in Scotland including RM Condor in Arbroath between 1984 and October 1989.
The High Court in Edinburgh heard Reilly, who is also known as Ron, was a non-commissioned officer in the elite commando corps.
Some of his victims have been left with long term mental health problems.
The court heard after Reilly left the Marines, he spent the past three decades establishing a thriving car dealership in the Scottish capital.
Lothian and Borders Police detectives originally detained Reilly in 2000 after one of his victims came forward to speak about what happened to him but he was released without charge.
However, in response in investigations carried out by the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, Police Scotland officers launched Operation Foresti and managed to gather enough evidence to bring Reilly to justice.
Victim’s reaction
On Friday, prosecutor John McPherson spoke of the reaction one of Reilly’s victims had when officers arranged to speak to him.
The male, now 51, had been repeatedly abused between May 1984 and May 1986.
Mr McPherson said: “He was aged between 12 and 13 at the time of the offences.
“The accused was aged between 17 and 19-years-old.
“The complainer was first spoken to by investigating officers by telephone around July 19 2021.
“In the course of the call, the police began by explaining that they were conducting an investigation involving Marine cadets and it was confirmed that the witness had been a cadet.
“Before the interviewing officer could explain the nature of the enquiry or say anything about the focus of the investigation the complainer said ‘I’ve been waiting for over 35 years to get this off my chest’.”
Abused boys at cadet events
The story emerged after Reilly, of Cramond, Edinburgh, pled guilty to charges of indecent assault and lewd and libidinous conduct.
The accused leader of the Royal Marine cadets in Edinburgh.
His first victim was aged between 11 to 12 when he joined the cadets.
Mr McPherson said: “He knew that Ron Reilly was a serving Royal Marine at the time.
“Consequently he held the accused in high regard seeing him as something as an idol.”
Reilly’s subsequent abuse while on a trip to Loch Lomond and in other locations in Scotland had a long lasting effect, Mr McPherson said.
The second boy was preyed upon when he was 12 during an overnight exercise in the Pentland Hills, while he tried to rest in a sleeping bag.
On another occasion, Reilly abused him after he drank alcohol and again during a trip to the Royal Marine base in Arbroath.
Another complainer developed mental health and addiction issues in later life.
Another victim was between 14 to 15 when he was challenged to a drinking contest with a hunting knife on offer if he could drink as much as Reilly.
Mr McPherson said he became so drunk he went to bed in a sleeping bag and Reilly abused him in the night.
Bail granted to sort out business
On Friday, defence solicitor advocate Euan Roy asked for his client to be granted bail ahead sentencing next month to resolve business matters.
“He is trying to gift them the business, which will allow the long-standing employees to run the concern and keep the profits.
“This will allow the 26 current members of staff to keep their jobs.
“By allowing him to have bail would allow him to resolve the outstanding issues.
“He is determined that no other person should be negatively affected by his previous actions.”
Mr Roy said his client had lived a “productive, law abiding and pro-social” life since the offending took place in the 1980s and that a psychologist had assessed Reilly as being at a low risk of sexual re-offending.
Lady Haldane ordered reports and granted bail but ordered him to hand over his passport.
She added: “You must be under no illusion that a custodial sentence is inevitable.”
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