A former senior police officer and charity boss has been convicted of sexually assaulting three women.
Retired chief superintendent Ian Paterson – who at one point was the longest serving officer in the Grampian force – acted as a “sexual predator” who repeatedly used his position of power to intimidate young women.
The 62-year-old, who during his career rose to the ranks of acting assistant chief constable, would normally strike when the women were feeling down, offering them a “bosie” or a shoulder to cry on.
He was convicted of touching two of the women on their bottoms and groping one of their breasts.
Paterson, who was chief executive of Aberdeen Council of Voluntary Organisations at the time of the offences, also targeted one of his victims during a car journey to Edinburgh.
Jurors took four hours to convict Paterson at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.
He sat emotionless in the dock while his wife Hazel and daughter broke down in tears as the verdict was delivered.
He had been facing eight charges against seven different women. He was acquitted of five of the alleged offences.
Paterson’s counsel David Moggach said the verdict had “broken” his client.
Police officers who had served with Paterson during his time at Grampian Police said his “touchy feely” manner had always raised concerns.
One officer said female staff in the force were “apprehensive” to be left in a room alone with him.
The court heard the attacker’s actions eventually led to him being nicknamed “Pervy Paterson”.
Fiscal depute Anne MacDonald suggested that he had bullied women, calling him a “sexual predator”.
Paterson, of 11 Tillygonnie Crescent, Tarves, near Ellon, refused to comment yesterday. He will be sentenced next month.