A Keith pensioner who sexually assaulted a woman before throwing her down a flight of stairs has said he is “ashamed” of his actions.
Derrick Henderson, 74, attempted to force the woman into a sexual encounter at Aberdeen’s Station Hotel before violently attacking her and causing her to flee their hotel room.
He then chased the terrified woman through the hotel before pushing her down a set of stairs where she fell to the bottom.
The injured woman was found in the stairwell by staff crying for help in her underwear, Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard.
Henderson’s lawyer told the court his client – a former alcoholic – is “ashamed and remorseful” about what he did.
Accused grabbed woman by throat
Fiscal depute Jane Spark told the court on a previous occasion that on June 28 last year Henderson made advances towards the woman for sex, which were rebuffed by her.
However, Henderson ignored her pleas to stop and grabbed at her breast and private parts.
“A struggle ensued and they both ended up on the floor,” Ms Spark said.
“The complainer, fearing for her safety, broke free and ran from the room.
“The accused gave chase and caught up with her in the hallway, grabbing her by the hair. He punched her to the face and repeatedly struck her on the body.
“He then grabbed her by the throat and squeezed tightly, restricting her breathing.”
The woman managed to break free of Henderson’s clutches and ran toward the fire escape where she made her way onto the metal stairwell.
Staff find victim crying and distressed
But she was once again chased down by Henderson, who caught up with her and pushed her down the stairs before walking away and leaving her lying there.
The court heard the woman was so traumatised she refused to leave the stairwell for fear Henderson would return, so she waited there shouting for help.
Two staff members discovered her lying in the stairwell, crying and distressed in her top and underwear.
As a result of the attack, the woman had bruising to her cheekbone and breast, a swollen forehead and pain to the left side of her body.
Henderson pleaded guilty to one charge of sexually assaulting the woman, physically assaulting her and pushing her down a flight of stairs to her injury.
‘He is abstinent now from drinking’
His defence solicitor Robert Cruickshank said a background report into his client had assessed Henderson as a “medium risk of re-offending”.
He added: “Mr Henderson has to acknowledge being a recovering alcoholic and there had been overconsumption of alcohol on that night.
“He accepts his guilt and doesn’t attempt to excuse or justify through alcohol – he acknowledges what he has done and is ashamed and remorseful.
“His health is not good but he is abstinent now from drinking.”
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood also highlighted the background report into Henderson that suggested he lacked insight into the long-term effect on the woman he assaulted.
He added: “For someone of your age you’ve started to build up quite a record and really this is the last time I think that the court can look at you and consider and reject a period of imprisonment as an appropriate punishment.”
Sheriff Fleetwood sentenced Henderson, of Seafield Park, Keith, to a community payback order with supervision for three years and an eight-month restriction of liberty order.
He also made Henderson subject to the sex offenders register and ordered him to take part in a sex offender programme.
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