PAUL SALINGER FROM PRESTONPANS ESCAPES JAIL AFTER SEXUAL ASSAULTS AT SETON SANDS HOLIDAY PARK
| Red Rose Database
Prestonpans Sexual Abuser
In November 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Paul Salinger, a chef with a troubling history of inappropriate conduct towards teenage girls working at a popular holiday park. Salinger, who was employed at Seton Sands Holiday Park in East Lothian, was accused of sexually assaulting two teenage waitresses during their shifts in the kitchen area. Despite the serious nature of these allegations, he narrowly avoided a custodial sentence.
The incidents took place within the bustling environment of the holiday park’s kitchens, where Salinger, a 34-year-old man from Prestonpans, allegedly engaged in deliberate acts of sexual misconduct. One of the victims reported that Salinger pressed his groin against her as he moved past her in the crowded kitchen, an act she described as intentional. Another young waitress recounted that Salinger had grabbed her by the bottom and squeezed it during an incident earlier that year, raising serious concerns about his conduct.
Salinger defended himself during the trial, claiming that his extensive experience working in busy kitchens made such contact unavoidable. He argued that if any physical contact had occurred, it was due to him carrying pots, pans, and bowls, which he believed could have inadvertently caused him to brush against the girls. He insisted that he would never intentionally touch anyone in a sexual manner and suggested that any contact was accidental, attributing it to the objects he was carrying at the time.
He also stated that he could not recall specific incidents but maintained that his body never intentionally touched the victims. Salinger claimed that if he had made contact, it would have been due to the bowls or other kitchenware he was holding. He further asserted that he had never been approached or disciplined by the park management regarding any complaints and that his employment was terminated without explanation.
However, the court was not convinced by his explanations. Sheriff John Cook, presiding over the case at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, expressed his firm belief that Salinger’s actions were deliberate sexual assaults rather than accidental contacts. The sheriff emphasized that the evidence clearly demonstrated that Salinger had intentionally engaged in inappropriate behavior towards the two teenage girls, which was aggravated by his position of authority as a senior employee and the vulnerability of the young victims.
Following the trial, Salinger was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault. He was not, however, convicted of two other similar charges involving different women at his previous job at Cakes and Shakes in Musselburgh, East Lothian, which related to incidents between January 27 and February 8 of the same year.
At the sentencing hearing, Sheriff Cook ordered Salinger to register as a sex offender and imposed a 12-month supervision order. Additionally, Salinger was sentenced to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service. The sheriff acknowledged the seriousness of the offenses but also took into account Salinger’s lack of prior convictions, his age, and the fact that he had no outstanding cases. Sheriff Cook remarked that Salinger’s acknowledgment of having difficulty with boundaries was a minimal concession in light of his conduct.
The court had previously heard from the two teenage victims, with one describing how Salinger would deliberately press his groin against her as he moved past in the kitchen. Salinger himself gave evidence, claiming he could not remember specific incidents but suggested that any contact was unintentional and caused by the objects he carried. He insisted that he would never have intentionally grabbed or touched the girls inappropriately, asserting that his body never made such contact.
Salinger also stated that he was unaware of any complaints made against him by the park management and that his employment was terminated without any formal discussion or explanation. Despite his claims, Sheriff Cook made it clear that he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Salinger had engaged in deliberate sexual touching of the two teenagers. The sheriff dismissed the possibility that the incidents were accidental, describing Salinger’s “pots and pans” excuse as inherently unlikely and unconvincing.
Defense lawyer Euan Gosney argued that Salinger now recognizes his lack of boundaries in the workplace and is considered a low risk of reoffending. Nonetheless, the court’s verdict and subsequent sentence reflect the gravity of the offenses committed at Seton Sands Holiday Park in Port Seton, East Lothian, highlighting the importance of accountability in cases of sexual misconduct involving minors.
The incidents took place within the bustling environment of the holiday park’s kitchens, where Salinger, a 34-year-old man from Prestonpans, allegedly engaged in deliberate acts of sexual misconduct. One of the victims reported that Salinger pressed his groin against her as he moved past her in the crowded kitchen, an act she described as intentional. Another young waitress recounted that Salinger had grabbed her by the bottom and squeezed it during an incident earlier that year, raising serious concerns about his conduct.
Salinger defended himself during the trial, claiming that his extensive experience working in busy kitchens made such contact unavoidable. He argued that if any physical contact had occurred, it was due to him carrying pots, pans, and bowls, which he believed could have inadvertently caused him to brush against the girls. He insisted that he would never intentionally touch anyone in a sexual manner and suggested that any contact was accidental, attributing it to the objects he was carrying at the time.
He also stated that he could not recall specific incidents but maintained that his body never intentionally touched the victims. Salinger claimed that if he had made contact, it would have been due to the bowls or other kitchenware he was holding. He further asserted that he had never been approached or disciplined by the park management regarding any complaints and that his employment was terminated without explanation.
However, the court was not convinced by his explanations. Sheriff John Cook, presiding over the case at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, expressed his firm belief that Salinger’s actions were deliberate sexual assaults rather than accidental contacts. The sheriff emphasized that the evidence clearly demonstrated that Salinger had intentionally engaged in inappropriate behavior towards the two teenage girls, which was aggravated by his position of authority as a senior employee and the vulnerability of the young victims.
Following the trial, Salinger was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault. He was not, however, convicted of two other similar charges involving different women at his previous job at Cakes and Shakes in Musselburgh, East Lothian, which related to incidents between January 27 and February 8 of the same year.
At the sentencing hearing, Sheriff Cook ordered Salinger to register as a sex offender and imposed a 12-month supervision order. Additionally, Salinger was sentenced to complete 150 hours of unpaid community service. The sheriff acknowledged the seriousness of the offenses but also took into account Salinger’s lack of prior convictions, his age, and the fact that he had no outstanding cases. Sheriff Cook remarked that Salinger’s acknowledgment of having difficulty with boundaries was a minimal concession in light of his conduct.
The court had previously heard from the two teenage victims, with one describing how Salinger would deliberately press his groin against her as he moved past in the kitchen. Salinger himself gave evidence, claiming he could not remember specific incidents but suggested that any contact was unintentional and caused by the objects he carried. He insisted that he would never have intentionally grabbed or touched the girls inappropriately, asserting that his body never made such contact.
Salinger also stated that he was unaware of any complaints made against him by the park management and that his employment was terminated without any formal discussion or explanation. Despite his claims, Sheriff Cook made it clear that he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Salinger had engaged in deliberate sexual touching of the two teenagers. The sheriff dismissed the possibility that the incidents were accidental, describing Salinger’s “pots and pans” excuse as inherently unlikely and unconvincing.
Defense lawyer Euan Gosney argued that Salinger now recognizes his lack of boundaries in the workplace and is considered a low risk of reoffending. Nonetheless, the court’s verdict and subsequent sentence reflect the gravity of the offenses committed at Seton Sands Holiday Park in Port Seton, East Lothian, highlighting the importance of accountability in cases of sexual misconduct involving minors.