Woman’s assault conviction quashed after court hears interpreter knew complainer

An Angus woman who tried to avoid arrest for allegedly assaulting a frail pensioner by claiming she had been raped has had her conviction quashed by appeal judges.

Louise McDougall, 26, was jailed for three years at Dundee Sheriff Court in February after a jury found her guilty of battering 87-year-old William Watson at his home in December 2013.

The court heard that McDougall repeatedly hit the wheelchair user over the head with a poker and told police that Mr Watson had raped her at his home in Montrose.

She claimed to have acted in self-defence. However, officers discovered that she had gone to Mr Watson’s home, stripped off and offered to perform a sex act on him.

During proceedings at the court Mr Watson, who is profoundly deaf, gave evidence with the help of a sign language interpreter.

However, the interpreter had known Mr Watson for many years.

At the Court of Criminal Appeal in Edinburgh, judges ruled that a different interpreter should have been called to assist Mr Watson.

Lord Eassie said: “The appeal succeeds and we are agreed that the conviction ought to be quashed.”