A senior staff member at a store in Highland Perthshire was sacked after he grabbed a woman and kissed her without consent.
John Dobbie was charged with sexual assault following the incident at the Mountain Warehouse branch in Pitlochry.
The 44-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and admitted a reduced charge of assault, with no sexual element.
The court heard the married father-of-two, who described himself as “touchy feely,” told police it was like kissing a daughter or an older relative.
‘This doesn’t change anything, okay?’
Fiscal depute Sarah Wilkinson said the assault happened at the Atholl Road store on April 12, this year.
“At the time, the accused and the witness were known to each other,” she told the court.
“Both described their relationship as a very close friendship.
“The accused was like a father figure to her.”
She went on: “That morning, the accused and the complainer were at the locus.
“The accused began asking the complainer about kissing him.
“He encouraged her to try it and asked if she wondered what it would be like.”
Ms Wilkinson added: “The complainer told the accused ‘no’.
“The accused then moved in close to the complainer and attempted to kiss her.
“He seized her by the body and pulled her in.
“He kissed her on the lips and she pulled away.
“Dobbie told her, ‘This doesn’t change anything okay?’
“The complainer replied, ‘Okay’.
“She told her mother about what had happened and she also spoke to two members of staff at the store.
“They noted she was in distress.”
Police interview
The fiscal depute said: “The incident was reported to police.
“The accused was cautioned and interviewed, during which he made certain admissions.”
When asked if he moved towards the woman in an attempt to kiss her, he replied: “I put my arms out for a cuddle.
“I looked at her and said it was going to be cool.”
Dobbie, of Finlay Terrace, Pitlochry, told investigators: “It was like a kiss I would give my daughter or an elderly person.”
Claimed he was ‘touchy feely’
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, told the court: “It will not surprise the court to hear that Mr Dobbie’s employment has since been terminated.
“He describes himself as being a ‘touchy feely’ person.
“There appears to have been a blurring of the lines in terms of the way this relationship had been viewed.”
Sheriff Euan Duthie called for background reports and deferred sentence until November 14.
“There was potentially an abuse of trust here,” he said.
