The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Policeman groped five women officers
Anorth-east police sergeant has admitted sexually assaulting five women officers during work nights out in Dundee and Aberdeen.
Sergeant Ross Campbell, 44, touched and groped the women at bars and nightclubs between September 2019 and February 2020.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard Campbell repeatedly grabbed the women’s buttocks and private parts – and put ice cubes down one woman’s blouse.
At one stage, he was warned about his behaviour by a colleague but continued to touch the women officers. Campbell was also challenged by a female colleague.
The sergeant fled the court in a change of clothes after admitting five charges of sexual assault against his colleagues.
The five women were in court to watch proceedings.
Police Scotland declined to issue a photograph of Campbell saying they do not release images of criminals if they have not been locked up.
He had initially faced nine charges involving seven women, but pleaded not guilty to four charges, which was accepted by the Crown.
Fiscal depute Alan Townsend told the court Campbell sexually assaulted one woman at Club Tropicana in Aberdeen on September 15 2019.
Colleagues noticed Campbell, who was a temporary sergeant at the time, was visibly drunk.
“He grabbed the complainer from behind and pulled her close towards him,” Mr Townsend said. “He placed his hands on her hips and moved her hips with his hands. She felt uncomfortable with his actions and walked away from him. He then slapped her on the buttocks.”
Mr Townsend added: “The accused laughed before slapping her again two or three times.”
On December 5 2019,
Campbell sexually assaulted two other women officers at Siberia Bar and Hotel on Belmont Street, Aberdeen.
One felt Campbell touching her back before he told her: “You’d be up for anything wouldn’t you.”
He later came up behind her and grabbed her bottom without her consent.
Another officer later felt an ice cube being placed down the front of her top.
Campbell did the same thing on at least three or four occasions while laughing and was challenged by a female colleague.
He was sent a WhatsApp message by a male coworker about his behaviour where he was warned he had been “a bit handsy” towards his colleagues.
Campbell replied: “I was pretty wasted and I shouldn’t have put myself in that position.”
A few nights later at the Counting House pub in
Dundee, another woman officer was grabbed on the buttocks five times, causing her to approach a male colleague and say: “Get him away from me.”
Campbell later grabbed her bottom again while on a train back to Aberdeen.
On a final occasion at Soul Bar and Paramount Bar in Aberdeen on February 8 2020, Campbell ran his hand up a female co-worker’s thigh and touched her private parts through her clothing.
She tensed up and a female colleague said: “I know, I know, let’s go.”
At Paramount Bar he later attempted to force his thumb inside the waistband of the woman’s underwear.
The next day he sent her a Snapchat message where he said: “Sorry if I was bugging you.”
Campbell described the evening as “the usual shambles of a police night out”. The sergeant was later arrested and his mobile phone taken into evidence.
Campbell denied any wrongdoing against his coworkers and was released.
He was later arrested and made no comment in reply to all questions.
Defence advocate Gareth Jones said his client wanted to offer an “unreserved apology to all the complainers in this case, many of whom you see in this court”.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan deferred sentence on Campbell, of Cove Close, Cove, Aberdeen, until next month for a criminal justice social work report, a curfew assessment and a risk assessment to be carried out.
He also placed Campbell on the sex offenders register.
Superintendent Lorna Ferguson, of the Professional Standards Department, said: “The matter will be referred to the deputy chief constable for professionalism, digital and transformation for consideration.”