The owner of Oban’s only four-star hotel sexually assaulted two former members of staff, was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.
Raymond Hyams, 58, of the Queen’s Hotel on Corran Esplanade, appeared for sentence at Oban Sheriff Court yesterday.
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.
He was placed on probation for nine months, during which time his name will remain on the Sex Offenders Register.
Sheriff Douglas Small told Hyams: “The offences of which you have been convicted involve a serious breach of trust on your part in as much as you were the employer of the complainers in the charges.
“Your conduct during the time period shows you had a complete lack of respect for the complainers.”
Defence advocate Stewart Ronnie said that despite his conviction, Hyams still maintained his innocence. During the trial he claimed the disgruntled former employees were acting out of revenge by alleging the assaults.
A social inquiry report said Hyams was at a low risk of re-offending.
He was found guilty following a seven day trial.
Giving evidence, 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 her job at the hotel because of the “sexual harassment and innuendos” from Hyams.
She said: “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 leg was dropped by prosecution.
Giving evidence Hyams said his accusers were motivated by “Revenge, resentment, anger, jealousy. Wanting to destroy me and wanted to destroy my wife and our business. Jealous of the fact that we actually own the hotel.”
He claimed the women didn’t appreciate being reprimanded at work.