Rev James Haram, who has been a pastor with the Free Church of Scotland (Continuing) in Glasgow, has been found guilty of 19 charges of physical and sexual abuse, which included raping a woman and beating children.
According to the BBC, his crimes took place between 1997 and 2020 at addresses in Glasgow, Dumbarton, West Dunbartonshire and in South Ayrshire.
During his trial, his rape victim, testified against him in front of the jury, claiming he had raped, attacked and verbally abused her. This included suggesting she should kill herself.
She also claimed the pastor would pressure her into sex while making biblical references.She also said she was told that she had to “subject” herself to him and recalled how she would sob as a result of the encounters.
Haram admitted only to “occasional flare-ups of aggression” (which is code for I only did that SOMETIMES!!) and claimed every sexual encounter was consensual.
A different witness, claimed that she was regularly beaten by the pastor.
He also hit children with a wooden spoon or a rod and carried out “modesty checks” on girls to see what they were wearing.
Jurors heard he flew into a rage while in a car with two of the children and claimed that he would deliberately crash the vehicle, killing them all. Haram told the trial: “They knew I did not mean it.”
He will be sentenced next month.
I’m just glad that he was found guilty, and would pay for his egregious acts. When is sentencing is ready, I will be here.
