A pervert who targeted young girls in a north-east town has been ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community.
Grazvydas Gudavicius sexually assaulted three females in Banff over the course of two days in September – including two who were just 15-years-old.
The 20-year-old drunkenly groped a woman at a pavilion beside the Airlie Gardens football pitches then threatened to “repeatedly stab” her and three other people she was with.
The following day Gudavicius visited the Tesco supermarket on the town’s Carmelite Street and inappropriately touched two 15-year-old girls by rubbing their legs and grabbing one of them by the wrists.
He was also involved in an assault outside the shop and admitted to uttering “threats of violence” and punching a man on the head several times.
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After he was apprehended by police, Gudavicius tried to cover up his tracks by telling social workers that the claims had all been fabricated as part of a “conspiracy” against him.
But when he appeared at Aberdeen Sheriff Court earlier this month, Sheriff Graeme Napier branded his story “nonsense” and warned that if he did not come clean he would be facing “a very long time” behind bars.
Gudavicius appeared in court again yesterday and Sheriff Napier was presented with a report explaining that he was now acknowledging what had happened.
But it also noted that the 20-year-old “did not intend to cause harm and denies the majority of the offences.”
The sheriff said: “(On the last occasion) he told me explicitly he now accepts responsibility.
“It does not augur well.”
Gudavicius committed the crimes while on bail, and had already spent a number of months in the Polmont young offenders institute prior to the court hearing.
Taking the spent prison sentence into account, Sheriff Napier imposed a variety of punishments.
Gudavicius must complete 160 hours of unpaid work within the next nine months and must also wear an electronic tag for seven months.
This will prevent him from leaving a family member’s address on Old Market Place, Banff, between 7pm and 6am every night of the week, gradually reducing to just weekends.
He must also complete a sex offender programme in Aberdeen and spend two years on the sex offender register.
A spokesman for NSPCC Scotland said: “It is vital Gudavicius receives treatment as part of his punishment to reduce any risk he poses in the future.
“Survivors of sexual abuse need to know they will be listened to and supported when they talk to the authorities and we hope this case will give others the confidence to speak out and seek justice.
“NSPCC Scotland works in schools and in the community to prevent abuse and anyone worried about a child can contact our helpline to report concerns.”