A teenage coffee shop worker tried to take her own life after being repeatedly sexually assaulted by a sleazy supervisor, a court has heard.
The young woman was one of four female employees at Cafe Biba, Pitlochry, preyed upon by creepy Glen Buchanan.
The 56-year-old made co-workers lives a misery, repeatedly placing his hands on their shoulders, buttocks and hips, sending sleazy social media messages and giving them unwanted massages, kisses and hugs.
Buchanan denied allegations of sexual misconduct, claiming he had a Benny Hill-style sense of humour and attempted to dismiss his conduct as workplace banter.
But even he could not try to justify telling a young teenager to breathe because it “accentuates the gentle curve of your breasts”.
After a three-day trial at Perth Sheriff Court a jury found him guilty of four counts of sexual assault.
He was further convicted of three charges of written or verbal sexual communications, intended for his own sexual gratification or to humiliate or distress his young victims.
Victim impact statement
Following the verdict, fiscal depute Vicki Bell handed Sheriff William Wood a written victim impact statement from Buchanan’s youngest victim.
“Your Lordship will note from the content of the statement that this has had a significant impact on her emotional wellbeing,” she said.
“She has sought medical support and support from friends and family.
“The statement includes references to an attempt to take her life as a result of the accused’s actions.”
The sheriff deferred sentence for background reports and placed Buchanan on the sex offenders register.
‘Made me feel on edge’
One victim told jurors how she quit her job because of Buchanan’s relentless conduct.
The woman said: “It was an uncomfortable environment.
“He made comments towards me that made me feel on edge. It was the way he spoke to me.
“There was a few occasions when he put his hands on me.
“I didn’t feel safe.”
Single father-of-three Buchanan tried to brush off the allegations as Benny Hill-style banter.
He said he occasionally touched the women on their shoulders and hips but only to move them out the way in a narrow passage.
When asked by defence advocate Duncan McPhie KC why he did not just ask them to move, Buchanan replied: “It was more a case of expedience than anything else.
“There was always a sense of urgency.”
Asked if he gave one of the women a massage, he said: “It wasn’t a full massage.
“I was walking through the scullery, when I saw her doing the dishes.
“I said: ‘You seem to be very stressed.’
“I just gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. I would hardly call it a massage.”
He also admitted giving the same woman an unwanted hug but said he stepped back when she appeared surprised.
Facebook messages
The court heard Buchanan sent five Facebook messages to a female employee in one evening.
He told her “I’m feeling a little unloved” and said he missed her, alongside a emoji face with its tongue sticking out.
Another post read: “It’s my birthday on Friday, so you can surprise me with something. Your choice.”
Buchanan said he sent the messages because he was annoyed she left work without telling anybody.
“In hindsight, it wasn’t the most appropriate manner. I should have waited until we were at work together.”
Asked why he mentioned his birthday, he said: “I thought it would be nice for her to buy a birthday present for me.”
Ms Bell pointed out: “You are 40 years older than her. You’re ancient to her.”
“Again, it was a bad choice of words,” Buchanan replied.
The woman did not reply to the messages but reported them to a manager at the cafe, who brought Buchanan in for a disciplinary meeting the next day.
Sexual predator
Jurors heard one of the women received a lewd comment from Buchanan, written on an order slip.
He wrote a customer wanted their coffee “hot, hot, hot – just like you”.
He told the court: “I can see how this can be misconstrued. I was just fooling around.”
Buchanan, of Bridge of Tilt, tried to dismiss some of his comments as banter, such as when he told one worker she should wear dresses more often.
“I was giving her a compliment,” he said.
He told the same woman she did not need to go to a gym as she had a “perfect figure” as it is.
But he accepted he had made a sexual comment to a female employee, when she was a young teenager.
“I was trying to do some paperwork and she was asking me: What can I do?
“I told her ‘just go and breathe – it accentuates the gentle curve of your breasts.’
“I saw that she was blushing, I don’t know why I said this.”
Ms Bell pointed out her young age.
He replied: “I know. Once I said it I knew it was wrong and I apologised to her.”
Buchanan told the court: “I understand that I was acting like a complete a***hole that day but that doesn’t make me a sexual predator.”
Asked why he used that term, he said: “I’ve been prosecuted on charges involving minors and that would make me a sexual predator, which I’m not.”
Cafe Biba, established in the 1970s, was taken over by new management in 2024 and has reopened as the Pancake Place.
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