FARMER BLAMES VICTIMS AS HE AVOIDS JAIL IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE
A Banchory farmer has avoided imprisonment after being convicted of sexually assaulting two female staff members.Colin Blackhall, aged 71, was found guilty on several sexual offence charges that occurred at his farm, TLC Potatoes Ltd, over a span of 12 years.
Despite his conviction, Blackhall maintains his innocence and blames the victims, as reported by Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Lesley Johnston heard the evidence and found Blackhall guilty of three charges of sexual assault against his workers.
The sheriff stated that Blackhall did not appear to be a credible or reliable witness and dismissed his claims that the women fabricated the allegations.
One woman reported that Blackhall had groped her bottom, pulling her towards his groin.
She recounted that this incident was initiated after Blackhall heard the Steve Miller Band song 'Abracadabra,' which contains the line: 'I wanna reach out and grab ya,' during which he was rubbing his genitals against her.
When she confronted him angrily, Blackhall warned her not to ‘bite the hand that feeds her’ and also claimed to have committed a sex act at her workstation when she was not present.
Her account left her feeling devalued, describing it as feeling that she was worth nothing.
A second woman testified that Blackhall slapped her buttocks while they worked in a polytunnel, a claim corroborated by a male colleague present at the time.
The court also learned that Blackhall had sent lingerie and explicit letters to a woman, professing affection — behaviour he admitted as inappropriate during his trial.During the trial, Blackhall’s defence argued that his actions were just 'tactile japery,' and he claimed to have engaged with social workers for background reports.
Ultimately, Sheriff Johnston emphasized that Blackhall abused his position of trust as their employer, which factored into the case.
She expressed regret over Blackhall’s continued denial of guilt and his tendency to blame the victims, adding that he had not shown any remorse or insight into his behaviour.
While the sheriff acknowledged the severity of the offences and suggested that custody might have been justified, she opted for a community disposal instead.
Blackhall was sentenced to 200 hours of unpaid work, placed under supervision for two years, and ordered to complete a sex offenders' programme.
Furthermore, he will be registered as a sex offender for two years.
Sheriff Johnston warned that breach of these conditions could lead to custodial sentencing.
