A Bridge of Tilt Paedophile 57-year-old café owner, Glen Buchanan, who likened himself to Benny Hill after inappropriately touching underage employees, has narrowly avoided incarceration.
Glen Buchanan’s unscrupulous pursuit of young female employees was partially attributed to the downfall of a restaurant chain and resulted in one victim attempting suicide.
Sheriff William Wood stated: “The jury found you guilty of all these charges – either sexual assault or exposing minors to sexual communications.” At that time, two individuals were minors, and your conduct continued for a duration of three years. You held a managerial role to oversee them, and they would have sought your guidance and support.
You have disappointed them and yourself. At that time, there existed an approximate 30-year disparity between you and these young women and children.
He informed father-of-three Glen Buchanan that he deserved a prison sentence, although acknowledged he was a first-time offender and that “no physical harm” had been inflicted upon the victims. Buchanan was subjected to supervision for three years and registered on the Sex Offenders Register for the equivalent duration. He was mandated to complete 300 hours of unpaid labour and participate in the Tay Project for sex offenders.
He was subjected to conduct stipulations, which mandated that he inform social workers of any new friendships, and was placed under a six-month restriction of liberty order. He was instructed to refrain from contacting any of his victims. A young woman who attempted suicide was one of four female employees at Cafe Biba in Pitlochry, who were exploited by their inappropriate employer.
He tormented his colleagues by constantly touching their shoulders, buttocks, and hips, sending inappropriate social media messages, and administering unsolicited massages, kisses, and hugs. Glen Buchanan refuted accusations of sexual misbehaviour, asserting that he possessed a Benny Hill-esque sense of humour and sought to characterise his behaviour as office banter.
But he could not justify telling a young teenager to breathe because it “accentuates the gentle curve of your breasts.” After a three-day trial at Perth Sheriff Court a jury found him guilty of four counts of sexual assault.
He was further convicted of three charges of written or verbal sexual communications, intended for his own sexual gratification or to humiliate or distress his young victims. Fiscal depute Vicki Bell presented a victim impact statement from Glen Buchanan’s youngest victim and said: “This has had a significant impact on her emotional wellbeing.”
“She has sought medical support and support from friends and family. The statement includes references to an attempt to take her life as a result of the accused’s actions.”
One victim told jurors how she quit her job because of Glen Buchanan’s relentless conduct. The woman said: “It was an uncomfortable environment. He made comments towards me that made me feel on edge. It was the way he spoke to me. There was a few occasions when he put his hands on me. I didn’t feel safe.”
Glen Buchanan said he occasionally touched the women on their shoulders and hips but only to move them out the way in a narrow passage. He said: “It was more a case of expedience than anything else. There was always a sense of urgency.”
He told the court it was Benny Hill-type banter and denied giving one of the women an unwanted massage. He said: “It wasn’t a full massage. I was walking through the scullery, when I saw her doing the dishes. I said: ‘You seem to be very stressed.’ I just gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. I would hardly call it a massage.”
He also admitted giving the same woman an unwanted hug but said he stepped back when she appeared surprised. The jury heard Glen Buchanan sent five Facebook messages to a female employee in one evening.
He told her “I’m feeling a little unloved” and said he missed her, alongside an emoji face with its tongue sticking out. Another post read: “It’s my birthday on Friday, so you can surprise me with something. Your choice.”
Glen Buchanan said he sent the messages because he was annoyed she left work without telling anybody. In hindsight, it wasn’t the most appropriate manner. I should have waited until we were at work together.”
Asked why he mentioned his birthday, he said: “I thought it would be nice for her to buy a birthday present for me.”
Ms Bell pointed out: “You are 40 years older than her. You’re ancient to her.” Glen Buchanan said: “Again, it was a bad choice of words.”
The woman did not reply to the messages but reported them to a manager at the cafe, who brought Glen Buchanan in for a disciplinary meeting the next day. Jurors heard one of the women received a lewd comment from Buchanan, written on an order slip.
He wrote a customer wanted their coffee “hot, hot, hot – just like you.” He told the court: “I can see how this can be misconstrued. I was just fooling around.”
Glen Buchanan, of Bridge of Tilt, tried to dismiss some of his comments as banter, such as when he told one worker she should wear dresses more often. “I was giving her a compliment,” he said, adding that he told the same woman she did not need to go to a gym as she had a “perfect figure”.
But he accepted he had made a sexual comment to a female employee, when she was a young teenager. “I was trying to do some paperwork and she was asking me: What can I do? I told her ‘just go and breathe – it accentuates the gentle curve of your breasts.’
“I saw that she was blushing, I don’t know why I said this. Once I said it I knew it was wrong and I apologised to her.”
He said: “I understand that I was acting like a complete arsehole that day but that doesn’t make me a sexual predator.”
Ms Bell told the jury “the accused has told you he has a paedophile like Benny Hill style sense of humour.”
Cafe Biba was part of the Pancake Place chain, which has recently gone out of business. The company’s own report of trading placed significant blame on Glen Buchanan’s offending for driving away customers. The chain also had a rodent infestation.
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