A married paramedic accused of being a “sex pest” while on duty has told a jury he became intimate with female colleagues to make work more bearable.
David Lee is on trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court facing a total of 15 charges.
Prosecutors claim that between 2013 and 2015 he groped four of his co-workers and spoke to them in an inappropriate sexual manner.
He is also accused of indecently exposing himself to two of the women.
The 31-year-old is also alleged to have acted in a “culpable and reckless” manner towards all the women while they were driving ambulances.
Court papers state he unfastened their seatbelts while the vehicle was in motion.
Lee denies the charges and has lodged a special defence claiming all sexual activity between him and the women was consensual.
Yesterday Lee took to the witness stand during the last day of evidence in the trial.
He told jurors that he was unable to resist the multiple sexual advances made towards him.
The father-of-one, who earlier claimed to have had sex 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 a new batch of young female recruits were placed under his mentorship.
He said this led to a series of social events and a continuing “flirtatious” relationship at work.
Lee said at the time the morale at the Scottish Ambulance Service was low, with many crews working long hours amid staff shortages.
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 added: “Our family is very much intact. I had a very happy home life. The only reason I engaged with these people is that it made work more bearable.”
Lee, of Keir Circle, Westhill, also told the court all the complainers had colluded to make up the allegations against him.
He said that the women were ganging-up against him after their sexually “liberal” attitudes at work 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.”
The trial, before Sheriff Graeme Napier, is expected to concluded today.