The owner of Oban’s only four-star hotel was placed on the sex offenders register today after being found guilty of sexually assaulting two former members of staff.
Raymond Hyams, 58, of the Queen’s Hotel on Corran Esplanade, was convicted at Oban Sheriff Court following a seven-day trial.
Hyams touched one woman’s hair, body and bottom, and touched the other on the thighs, hips and waist and slapped her bottom and made sexual remarks to both
Sheriff Douglas Small told him: “I accept that the Crown witnesses were telling the truth about the events that occurred in the Queen’s Hotel. I’m satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused committed the offences which remain on the complaint and I accordingly find him guilty.”
During final submissions, Fiscal Eoin McGinty said: “The defence position is that this was a witches coven of disgruntled ex employees who came together and formed a plot against Mr Hyams.”
Defence advocate Stewart Ronnie said: “The accused from the start declared his innocence, that the sexual assaults did not happen. When he was detained he promptly denied the allegations. He indicated that this was a matter of revenge.”
During the trial one of the women told the court that Hyams tickled her and tried to put a cigarette lighter down her cleavage.
She said she left because of the “sexual harassment and innuendos” from Hyams.
She told the court: “I recall him asking me if I was wearing suspenders because he thought I would look good in them.”
The other woman said: “He walked past me and grabbed my bum. I was just in shock. I didn’t know what to say.
“It happened maybe up to 10 times, mainly in the bar when there was no one around.”
The offences took place between 2010 and 2012. A charge of sexually assaulting a third former member of staff by touching her was dropped by the prosecution.
Sentence was deferred until January 7 for background reports. Hyams was placed on the sex offenders register in the meantime.