A paramedic who was accused of being a sex pest by his female colleagues had his name cleared today.
David Lee had been on trial for a series of alleged offences on his fellow Scottish Ambulance Service staff – including while they were responding to emergencies.
He faced a total of 15 charges, said to have taken place between 2013 to 15 and involving five alleged victims.
Lee denied the offences and lodged a special defence at the outset of the trial claiming that all sexual activity between him and the women was consensual.
He also denied charges of “culpable and reckless conduct” relating to allegations that he put latex gloves down his coworkers’ tops and would unfasten their seatbelts while in ambulances.
But after two and half hours of deliberations, the jury of seven men and eight women at Aberdeen Sheriff Court returned three not guilty verdicts.
Lee was found not guilty of making inappropriate sexual comments to two colleagues and exposing himself to one of the women.
The jury found the case against him not proven by majority on the remaining 12 charges, bringing an end to the five day trial.
During evidence, one complainer claimed that Lee grabbed her hand while she was driving a pregnant patient to hospital and put it on his groin area.
And on their way back up the road she further claimed that Lee exposed himself to her in the back of the ambulance.
However, Lee fiercely denied that anything untoward – other than marital infidelity – had taken place with his workmates.
Giving evidence in his defence on day four of the trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, Lee claimed that the complainers were out to get him.
He said that the woman were ganging up against him after their “liberal” attitudes were exposed.
He said: “There has been very obvious collusion outside this court.
“I was under the impression that I was friends with all of them.
“Prior to this I had no idea that anyone was harbouring these feelings.”
He added: “They have stood here and told very significant and calculated lies.
“They’ve shown complete disregard for my life and the effects of what they are saying is having on it.”
And the married father of one, who claimed to have slept with two of the complainers, told the jury it was the younger women joining the ambulance service who had shown an interest in him – not the other way round.
He claimed to have been in a rut at work until this new batch of young female recruits were placed under his mentorship.
This led to social events spent together – and what Lee described as “flirtatious” relationships at work.
He said: “These younger people with this liberal attitude was very appealing to me.
“I was not looking for fun. I was just not turning down these opportunities when they came up.
“Having these ladies interested in me was changing my negative attitude towards work.”
Lee declined to comment after walking free from court yesterday.