Police employee slapped colleague on buttocks with ruler and made sexual comments to others

A Police Scotland employee who intimately touched a colleague and made sexual comments to others claimed it was just “banter”.

Michael Warren, 64, slapped the woman on the buttocks at the unit in Glasgow’s Cardonald.

Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that the shocked victim told Warren that he would be reported to a supervisor.

He replied: “I didn’t use my hand, I used a ruler.”

Falklands veteran Warren, of Denny, Stirlingshire, also made sexual comments to two other female employees at the centre.

Warren told a cleaner that he was “watching your a*** wriggle as you’re brushing the floor.”

He remarked to a third woman that he was going to perform a sex act on himself when he went home after his shift.

Warren preyed on his victims between September 2016 and July 2023.

He pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the first woman.

The first offender also admitted two further charges of uttering sexual remarks at the other women.

Michael Stewart, defending, told the sentencing: “There is no doubt as to the inappropriateness and criminal nature of Mr Warren’s behaviour.

“However, it stems from a misunderstanding of what is acceptable, influenced by his background.

“Conduct that may be tolerated in the military would rarely, if ever, be regarded as acceptable in wider society.

“What he perceived as banter was not banter at all. In my view, he would benefit from a period of supervision to address this.”

Sheriff Collette Gallagher ordered Warren to do 180 hours of unpaid work and put him under supervision for 12 months.

The sheriff said: “You have suggested that your conduct has been born out of your experience in the forces at a time when society was different.

“That view is reflected in the character references provided on your behalf. This, in my view, does not excuse your behaviour.

“I detected that you have sought to minimise and downplay your behaviour.

“Your conduct is unacceptable in any environment, but especially a work environment.

“There were multiple victims, and you left them feeling distressed, uncomfortable and fearful to be alone with you.

“You caused psychological harm to the victims. If it were not for their courage in coming forward, your behaviour would have been allowed to continue unchecked.

“Your behaviour was persistent over a number of years, and on occasion, you behaved in the way complained of when the victims were alone, leaving them feeling vulnerable.

“As a punishment and to express society’s disapproval of your behaviour, I consider it necessary to impose a period of unpaid work.”

Warren was also put on the sex offenders register for one year.