A north-east police sergeant has admitted sexually assaulting five female officers during work nights out in Aberdeen and Dundee.
Sergeant Ross Campbell, 44, touched and groped the women at bars and nightclubs between September 2019 and February 2020.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how Campbell repeatedly grabbed the women on their buttocks and private parts – even putting ice cubes down one woman’s blouse.
At one stage, he was even warned about his behaviour by a colleague but continued to touch the female police officers.
Campbell was also challenged by a female colleague about his conduct.
Today, the sergeant fled the court in a change of clothes after admitting five charges of sexual assault against his female colleagues.
However, his five female complainers were present in court to watch proceedings.
Police Scotland declined to issue a photograph of Campbell, saying they do not release images of criminals if they have not been locked up.
He had initially faced nine charges involving seven women, but pleaded not guilty to four charges, which was accepted by the Crown.
Sergeant laughed as he assaulted co-workers
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told the court that Campbell sexually assaulted one woman at Club Tropicana nightclub in Aberdeen on September 15 2019.
He described how colleagues noticed that Campbell, who was working as a temporary sergeant at the time, was visibly drunk.
“He grabbed the complainer from behind and pulled her close towards him,” Mr Townsend said.
“He placed his hands on her hips and moved her hips with his hands. She felt uncomfortable with his actions and walked away from him. He then slapped her on the buttocks.
“The complainer then turned around and saw the accused was directly behind her with no one else nearby.
“The accused laughed before slapping her again two or three times without her consent.”
On December 5 2019, Campbell sexually assaulted a further two female officers during a night out at Siberia Bar and Hotel on Belmont Street, Aberdeen.
Mr Townsend told the court how one woman felt Campbell touching her back before he told her “you’d be up for anything wouldn’t you”.
He later came up behind the woman and grabbed her bum without her consent.
Another female officer then later felt an ice cube being placed down the front of her top.
Campbell then did the same thing again on at least three or four occasions while laughing and was challenged by a female college regarding his behaviour.
As a result of that evening, Campbell was sent a WhatsApp message by a male co-worker about his behaviour where he was warned he had been “a bit handsy” towards his female colleagues.
Campbell replied: “I was pretty wasted and I shouldn’t have put myself in that position.”
Accused denied any wrongdoing during police interview
A few nights later at the Counting House pub in Dundee, another female officer was grabbed on the buttocks five times by Campbell, causing her to approach a male colleague and say: “Get him away from me.”
He later grabbed her bum again while on a train back to Aberdeen.
On a final occasion at Soul Bar and Paramount Bar in Aberdeen on February 8 2020, Campbell ran his hand up a female co-worker’s thigh and touched her private parts through her clothing.
She tensed up and a female colleague said: “I know, I know, let’s go.”
At Paramount Bar he later attempted to force his thumb inside the waistband of the woman’s underwear.
The next day he sent her a Snapchat message where he said: “Sorry if I was bugging you.”
Campbell described the evening as “the usual shambles of a police night out”.
The sergeant was later arrested and his mobile phone was taken into evidence.
During a police interview, Campbell denied any wrongdoing against his co-workers and was released.
He was later arrested at Kittybrewster Police Station and interviewed again where he made no comment in reply to all questions.
Sergeant offered ‘unreserved apology’ to victims
Defence advocate Gareth Jones said that his client wanted to offer an “unreserved apology to all the complainers in this case, many of whom you see in this court”.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan deferred sentence on Campbell, of Cove Close, Cove, Aberdeen, until next month in order for a criminal justice social work report, a curfew assessment and a risk assessment to be carried out.
He also placed Campbell on the sex offenders register.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Police Scotland acknowledges the outcome of the court proceedings.”
Superintendent Lorna Ferguson of the Professional Standards Department, said: “We are aware of the outcome of the case.
“The matter will be referred to the Deputy Chief Constable for Professionalism, Digital and Transformation for consideration under the Police Service of Scotland (Conduct) Regulations 2014.”
