The owner of Fife tourist attraction Scotland’s Secret Bunker has walked free from court after being found not guilty of a string of sexual assault charges.
James Mitchell, 58, told The Courier he had gone through “the worst two years of my life” as he left Dundee Sheriff Court a free man on Friday afternoon.
The trial had previously heard that Mitchell blamed “a ghost” for grabbing one of the alleged victims by the leg,
The jury took more than an hour to return their verdicts on two charges levelled against Mitchell, which were dependent on corroboration.
On one charge the verdict was guilty by majority. On the second verdict of not proven the jury was unanimous.
Sheriff Alastair Carmichael told Mitchell: “The jury has found you guilty of one charge and not proven on the second. There is insufficient evidence to find you guilty. You are free to go.”
The Fife tourist attraction owner had been accused of targeting two then-teenage girls – who cannot be named for legal reasons – in separate incidents spanning a four year period.
The case caused a stir when police sergeant Kevin Petrie told jurors Mitchell said “a ghost had touched her leg” when he was quizzed about one supposed victim.
The officer gave evidence after the woman told the court Mitchell had entered her room as she slept then put his hand under covers and touched her leg before sneaking out.
Mr Petrie said he asked Mitchell: “What were you told or what do you think happened?”
The officer said Mitchell replied: “It was that long ago but somebody touched her leg.
“It was supposed to be a ghost because my daughter has seen ghosts in the place.
“We have had seances and lots of spiritual people in — spiritual people come all the time.
“There was supposed to be ghosts. That’s what I heard. A ghost had touched her leg.”
When the officer put it to him that the alleged victim woke when she felt her leg being touched, saw the businessman and watched as he left the bedroom, Mitchell replied: “Piddle.
“Absolute rubbish. That is an absolute outright lie.”
Scotland’s Secret Bunker, which remained open during the trial, is situated near the village of Crail and has been active as a tourist attraction for more than two decades.
The bunker, which would have served as a Scottish command centre if the country had been obliterated by nuclear weapons during the Cold War, lay hidden beneath a small, discreet farm cottage.
