Hotel "banter" led to legal ordeal for retired Shropshire businessman

Bob Reilly, 62, said his ordeal began after a "banter" during Christmas festivities at a prestigious hotel.

It finally ended this week after a jury at Mold Crown Court unanimously found him not guilty of indecently assaulting a 19-year-old university student who was working as a waitress and serving dinner at a Denbighshire hotel on Boxing Day, 2011.

"I could not believe it. This came out of nowhere. The world has gone mad," said Mr Reilly, who used to work in property development but who now spends his time doing charity work.

"If I had been convicted I would have been finished. My charity work would all be gone because I would be on the sex offenders' register. I just cannot believe what has happened," he said, speaking after the end of his trial. "I am still in a state of shock."

Mr Reilly, from Homer, Much Wenlock, who described himself as "a bit of a joker" spent £900 for the three day Christmas break with his friend, former police officer Wendy Bater.

They enjoyed Christmas Day, went for a walk on Boxing Day afternoon, and returned to the hotel restaurant for dinner in the evening.

Prosecuting barrister Sarah Badrawy told the jury of eight men and four women that it was the prosecution case that he touched the waitress' bottom.

Defending, barrister Gareth Roberts said his client denied the allegation and if he had touched her it was accidental and certainly not sexual. Nothing was meant by it, he said.

In evidence, Mr Reilly said he was a bit old fashioned and when he first met the waitress he took her hand and kissed it. He said as they were shown to their table he held his hand out and may have touched her on the small of her back as if ushering her ahead of him.

He denied putting his arm around her once seated, a move which the waitress said was "over familiar and flirty but not horrific".

She said she thought he might be drunk, but Mr Reilly said that he had one drink, and asked about a claim that he had told her that if she was naughty then he would have to take her to a room to slap her legs, Mr Reilly said that was simply a joke, a bit of banter, and he meant nothing by it.

Ms Bater had told the waitress to ignore him, but told the jury that there was nothing sexual in it.

Another customer, a retired police officer, offered to take the defendant out of the restaurant and told her that technically she had been assaulted.

Mr Reilly said later in the evening he found out what was being alleged and could not believe it. They left early the following day because it was all being bandied about the hotel.

He said after being cleared that he had not been approached by police until that summer and had attended 15 court hearings in the magistrates and crown court.

Mr Reilly said that he had an appointment with lawyers next week to consider suing the hotel for damages.