Band’s frontman cleared of sex offence charges

Gavin Munro of Red Pine Timber Company guilty of threatening behaviour

The frontman of one of Perth’s most successful bands has been cleared of making inappropriate sexual comments to women.

Red Pine Timber Company’s Gavin Munro breathed a visible sigh of relief after Sheriff Gillian Wade acquitted him of the charges at Perth Sheriff Court yesterday.

However, she found the 50-year-old guilty of a number of other charges including behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at the 18th birthday party of a former bandmate.

Sheriff Wade said she was unable to convict Munro in relation to the sexual offences as there was no evidence that he would have known that his remark was unwanted as the woman admitted the comment was at least partially jocular and she had made a similar retort back.

She added a “lack of corroboration” meant she was also unable to convict on the second charge of a sexual offence.

The sheriff also found him not guilty of assaulting former bandmate Michael MacLennan but convicted him of three of the original seven charges he had faced.

The court had earlier heard Munro admit taking what he believed to be cocaine during the boozy birthday party.

Munro, of Seals Bank, Bridge of Earn, was found guilty of behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at an address in Bridge of Earn in November 2014 by acting aggressively, shouting and swearing.

He also repeatedly pulled on the arms and headrest of a wheelchair while a woman was sitting in it and refused to leave the party when asked.

He was also found guilty of damaging property at the same address on the same date by repeatedly punching walls, punching and butting doors and light fittings and damaging them, and of behaving in a threatening manner at the Green Room on Canal Street on July 19 last year.

He shouted, swore, uttered threats of violence and brandished a bar stool at Mr MacLennan.

Sentence was deferred until November for reports. He remains on bail in the meantime.

Gavin Munro, of Perth band Red Pine Timber Company, outside court.