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UFO

Dechmont Woods Encounter

Forestry worker Robert Taylor encountered a UFO and was attacked by smaller spheres that dragged him toward the craft. Police investigated as an assault, making it the UK's only criminal UFO case.

November 9, 1979
Livingston, Scotland
1+ witnesses

The Only UFO Crime Scene

On November 9, 1979, Robert Taylor encountered a UFO in Dechmont Woods near Livingston, Scotland. When smaller spheres attacked him, police investigated it as an assault—the only time a UFO encounter has been treated as a crime in the UK.

The Witness

Robert Taylor:

  • Age 61
  • Forestry worker
  • Lothian Regional Council
  • Respected employee
  • No history of fantasy

The Location

Dechmont Woods:

  • Near Livingston
  • West Lothian, Scotland
  • Isolated forest
  • Morning hours
  • November 9, 1979

The Encounter

Taylor discovered:

  • Spherical craft
  • In clearing
  • About 20 feet diameter
  • Dark metallic
  • Hovering slightly

The Object

Description:

  • Dome-shaped
  • Dark grey
  • Rim around middle
  • Rough texture
  • Silent

The Attack

What happened next:

  • Two smaller spheres
  • Emerged from craft
  • Attached to his trousers
  • Dragged him forward
  • Toward main object

The Spheres

Smaller objects:

  • Spiked balls
  • Mine-like appearance
  • Made clicking sounds
  • Gripped his legs
  • Pulled him

Physical Effects

Taylor experienced:

  • Choking smell
  • Lost consciousness
  • Trousers torn
  • Legs injured
  • Unable to speak

The Discovery

When found:

  • Disoriented
  • Couldn’t walk well
  • Vehicle stuck
  • Had to walk home
  • Wife called police

Police Investigation

Official response:

  • Treated as assault
  • Criminal investigation
  • Scene examined
  • Physical evidence
  • Serious treatment

The Evidence

What police found:

  • Ground marks
  • Ladder-pattern imprints
  • Circular track marks
  • Torn trousers retained
  • Forensic examination

Medical Examination

Doctor found:

  • Leg injuries
  • Consistent with grabbing
  • No explanation
  • Genuine wounds
  • Not self-inflicted

The Trousers

Key evidence:

  • Torn at thighs
  • As if pulled upward
  • Retained by police
  • Analyzed
  • No explanation

Taylor’s Character

Investigators noted:

  • Excellent reputation
  • No reason to lie
  • Never sought publicity
  • Consistent account
  • Genuine trauma

No Resolution

Case remains:

  • Officially unsolved
  • Assault by unknown
  • Criminal file open
  • Never explained
  • Historic case

Significance

Only UK criminal investigation of UFO encounter with physical evidence and credible witness.

Legacy

The Dechmont Woods case stands unique in UFO history—a criminal assault investigation where the perpetrators came from an unknown craft and were never apprehended.