The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
TV star businessman jailed for sex attacks
Perthshire man carried out assaults on five ‘vulnerable’ women
A Perthshire businessman whose company provided the security for the Queen’s visit to Perth in 2012 has been jailed after carrying out sex attacks on a number of “vulnerable” women.
Charles Pirie, 65, was convicted by a jury of abusing five women over a five-year period while he was running Atholl Adventures, an outdoor pursuit and stewarding company.
At Perth Sheriff Court yesterday, Sheriff William Wood told Pirie there were both mitigating and aggravating factors in the case.
He said: “This is a course of conduct which took place over the course of five years and where you were in a position of trust.”
He added that Pirie has been “willing to use force” during his attacks and had exploited his knowledge as a former special constable.
Sheriff Wood continued: “Despite your conviction you show a complete absence of remorse or understanding.”
Pirie was ordered to spend two years in prison and will spend a further year on licence after his release. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
Sheriff Wood also said that he had “continued concerns” that after release Pirie would remain a “risk to women”.
He ruled that Pirie, who lives in Ballinluig, will have to inform police of any relationships he forms after the sheriff imposed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order preventing him being with lone females.
A jury found Pirie guilty of six charges, which took place between 2008 and 2013. He crept into the tent of one woman at the Rob Roy festival near Killin before sexually assaulting her.
He forcibly kissed another, made sexual comments to a third while sharing a journey and a twin-bed hotel room with her, tried to engage a fourth in sexual activity and attempted to get a fifth to fondle him. The offences took place in Fort William, Perthshire and Angus.
Pirie, who worked on the Duke of Atholl’s Estate at Blair Atholl, starred in the 1995 television series The Gamekeeper, later co-authoring a book based on the series.
Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Patrick said: “I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to these victims who came forward and assisted the police.”