An Inverness businessman has been cleared of sexually assaulting women who worked at his busy hotel in the Highland capital.
Christopher O’Malley said last night he had been through an “ordeal” since being accused of molesting the duo 18 months ago.
The 58-year-old Irishman added he now wanted to move on with his life after a sheriff found him not guilty of all the allegations against him.
Mr O’Malley, who runs the Corriegarth Hotel, had always maintained his innocence.
He was accused of sexually assaulting two women between October 1, 2012, and February 18, 2013.
He was alleged to have stroked one woman on the hand, placed his hands on her back and rubbed her chest.
He was also accused of assaulting a second woman at the Corriegarth Hotel and the city’s Mustard Seed restaurant and Gellions bar by stroking her hand and arm, placing his hand on her back and placing his hands on her upper thigh and bottom.
Mr O’Mally was cleared by Sheriff David Sutherland after a three day trial.
Giving evidence in his own defence at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday, the businessman said: “I can, hand on heart, say if they had a problem, they could have come to me and said something. I didn’t do anything of a sexual nature.”
He admitted that he may have placed his hands on the women, but added: “It wasn’t in a sexual way.”
Mr O’Malley’s counsel, advocate Bill Adam, told Sheriff David Sutherland: “The Queen took exception to the Australian prime minister putting his hands on her in a well publicised incident.
“But to say that incidents like that are sexual is taking it a bit far, even in these days of political correctness.”
Sheriff Sutherland took just half an hour to reach a verdict.
He told Mr O’Malley: “The first witness was reliable but not entirely credible. She admitted she may have got it wrong and misunderstood what happened to her.
“The second witness was neither credible nor reliable and was not convinced in her own mind what had happened.
“Accordingly, the Crown have not proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and I find you not guilty on both charges.”
At his hotel last night, Mr O’Malley said: “This has been hanging over my head for 18 months now, so I’m glad that I can put it behind me and move on properly at last.
“Anybody who knows me would have known that I am not like what they were suggesting, not at all.
“I would never treat my staff in the way that the girls described.
“The sheriff was completely emphatic in finding me not guilty and the right decision has been made and justice has been done.
“I’m glad that I can now move on with my life and my business after all of this and put the ordeal of the last 18 months behind me.”
When all the prosecution evidence was completed at an earlier hearing Mr Adam failed in his attempt to have the case thrown out because of insufficient evidence.
One barmaid told the court that O’Malley had touched her at work, on a train when she went with him to a trade show and in a restaurant in the city. She left after four months.
“He was my boss and I felt awkward saying anything to him,” she told the court.
The barmaid in the second charge alleged O’Malley touched her while they were together in a restaurant, and local bars. She told the court she did not say anything to him because she was not sure if she was “over-reacting” to his attention.