As a charity boss hiding historical rapes, Gareth Norman kept many secrets.
Shielded by his work in the community as a Night Ministry “street angel”, he duped Dundee into believing he was a man of moral fibre.
But it emerged after trial this week, he had raped a young girl in the 1970s, as well as committing a series of other sexual crimes.
And using the cover of charity volunteering, his violent offending was not the only unsavoury thing from his past he kept quiet about.
In the 1980s, Norman, 61, spent his time on the far right of politics, as a member of the British National Party and other organisations.
Political views
Rumours of Norman’s vicious political past first surfaced as he increasingly sought the spotlight for his charity work after a Damascene conversion to lead the Christian charity handing out food and blankets to homeless people.
He was happy to pose for photographs, front and centre, as he helped the needy.
What was less well broadcast was his past, organising racist rallies and marches.
When asked about his time as a far-right thug, Norman said it was “more than 20 years ago” and that he had “seen sense”.
He said: “I was wrong to follow the simplistic and repugnant views of the far right.
“I know that now. Wisdom after the fact is always easier than at the time.
“I have left all that behind me 22 years ago and tried to make amends by helping in progressive causes and movements.”
He claims his life was threatened by Nazi group Combat 18 when he broke away.
The comments came as he stood, unsuccessfully, on the regional list for the Scottish Parliament in 2016, for convicted perjurer Tommy Sheridan‘s Solidarity party.
He said: “I wish I could rewind my life and decide in the mid-80s that the response to unemployment with children in the Whitfield estate of Dundee should have been to fight Thatcher from the left, not join groups on the right who wanted to blame immigrants for my poverty instead of the real culprits, the rich and powerful.”
Both sordid past secrets are now in the open as Norman is behind bars awaiting sentencing for his crimes.
He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register and will return to the High Court in Dundee next month.
Gareth Norman would regularly feature in this newspaper, sharing his thoughts on homelessness and feeding the poor and helpless.
At one point, he shared how his son’s own drug addiction had lead him to his role with the Night Ministry.
This is what is so galling.
His work was good — drug abuse and homelessness are still massive problems in this city and country.
Work needs to be done.
But it must have been appalling for his victims – for those he raped and those he ostracised and racially abused for years as a fascist – to see him cast in such a positive light in the local and national press.
Yes, he was a teenager when he committed rape but he took advantage of a position of trust.
The High Court in Dundee heard how the seven-year-old girl he raped became withdrawn.
She stopped spending time with her friends and did not want to go to school.
He claimed not to hide from his past.
There are two women – now in their 50s and whose bravery in coming forward must not be underestimated – who would beg to differ.
Thankfully, a light has been shone on Norman and justice has been done.
