A convicted sex offender has had his sentence slashed after arguing that only one of the acts a jury found him guilty of was backed up by a second witness.
Ricky Taylor was branded a “sexual predator” when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court in May for sentencing, and only spared jail amid concerns that would not allow him to address his behaviour.
The 25-year-old had been found guilty of carrying out sex acts in view of a woman in front of the window at a property on Gaitside Drive four times, in October and November last year.
Sheriff Sukwhinder Gill put him on a three-year supervision order, with a curfew for nine months meaning he cannot leave his home between 7.30pm and 5.30pm.
He was also ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and take part in a rehabilitation scheme.
But Taylor lodged an appeal against the sentence, which has resulted in his time under curfew being reduced to three months, and his requirement to perform unpaid work being halved to 150 hours.
However, the appeal court decided that Taylor should remain under supervision for three years.
His lawyers argued that “only the final episode” was corroborated by being observed by a second person.
The appeal court said that “each episode was in fact a separate incident, which required to be corroborated of itself”.
The document states: “Having thus limited the extent of the conviction, we consider it appropriate that the matter of sentence be reconsidered.”
Taylor, of Heathryfold Circle in Aberdeen, was previously jailed for 15 months for admitting pouncing on a woman in a secluded area.
In October 2012, he was driving the woman home when he took her to a spot on Mugiemoss Road before pulling the car over, pinning her down and struggling with her.