M&S worker accused of sexually assaulting colleaugues dies by suicide

John Robertson, 46, was due in the dock at Glasgow Sheriff Court on Wednesday this week.

However, his lawyer told the trial - which started in September 2025 - that his client had passed away on Tuesday.

It has since emerged that Robertson, of Renfrew, killed himself.

Robertson initially faced 14 charges which included seven sexual assaults, one assault, four allegations of directing sexual communications, and two charges of indecent communication.

Alleged victims included three women and four men, with the charges spanning between July 2013 and August 2024.

The court had previously heard that the majority of the alleged offences took place in the M&S branch at Braehead Shopping Centre.

A woman stated that she was colleagues with Robertson between 2013 and 2016.

She recalled being at the customer service desk, which was out of sight of customers.

The woman said: "John jumped out from the rails like he does and he grabbed me on my right breast."

The witness added that she told Robertson to "F*** off" and stated that he was a "pest."

Prosecutor Caitlin McAllister asked her how she felt and the woman replied: "The shock of him jumping out afterwards. This was something John does on a weekly occurrence...I told him to stop it and moved on - this is what you do."

The woman further told the court that Robertson also tickled her and other members of staff which she said was "his thing."

She stated that Robertson's tickles to the body would be "sore."

The woman added: "In the beginning it would be the waist or the back - later on as things got more sinister he would tickle you but he would go for more front bits.

"The front of your hips or maybe your stomach."

The woman claimed that Robertson also referred to her as "big girl" and said "you love it."

Miss McAllister asked her if Robertson did things to other people and she replied: "Numerous times - I used to say get back to where you are meant to be and to stop it and that he wasn't allowed to do it."

A retired woman told the court that she saw Robertson hit a female employee on the shoulder at the menswear department.

She said: "They had been talking about something but I didn't know what it was.

"When he hit her shoulder, I thought it was in jest then I saw that she was quite winded by it."

It was claimed that his victim had to go in the store room after the incident and was "taken aback" by it.

Another worker stated in her evidence that Robertson used "quite a lot of innuendo" which included "sexual" in his conversations.

She said: "Maybe it was not always appropriate." 

Another woman told the court that she heard Robertson say: "I wouldn't mind a bit of him" in reference to a male employee.

Robertson was further claimed to have made a sexual comment about the man regarding a "gear stick."

Robertson is also supposed to have said about the man's girlfriend: "I would claw her eyes out."

The sexual assault charge concerning the man stated that Robertson grabbed him on the buttocks.

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