A man has been handed supervision and unpaid work after sexually assaulting a dog-walker by grabbing and kissing her.
Alan Whyte sexually assaulted the woman on two separate occasions after meeting her while out walking his own dog in Aberdeen.
After the second incident, in which the 51-year-old grabbed her by the head, pulled her towards him and kissed her on the head, the woman was left so distressed she had a panic attack.
Fiscal depute Lynzi Souter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Whyte approached the woman in February last year and asked if she had done anything for Valentine’s Day.
She said: “The complainer thought this was strange and started to feel uncomfortable.
“The complainer then bent down to grab her dog and take the dog away.
“As she was coming back up the accused pulled the complainer’s shoulders close to him and kissed her on the top of her head.
The court heard the woman turned away, and that Whyte told her he “liked her”.
Ms Souter added: “The complainer felt extremely uncomfortable and said she had to go before leaving the area.”
In the second incident in May Whyte again stopped and spoke to the woman, telling her he “wished he wasn’t married” and adding: “You never know what could happen.”
The woman felt nervous and bent down to take her dog away.
Mrs Souter said: “As she was bent down the accused grabbed the back of her head, pulled her head into his own head and kissed her on the cheek.
“The complainer made an excuse to the accuse so she could leave.
“As a result of this she suffered a panic attack.”
Whyte pled guilty to two charges of sexual assault.
Defence agent Michael Horsman said his client had shown “genuine regret and remorse”.
He added Whyte was concerned about the impact his actions had had on the woman.
Mr Horsman said Whyte and his partner had separated as a result of the case.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan told Whyte, of Corthan Drive, Aberdeen: “Your behaviour towards this lady was completely unacceptable and it’s plain she was upset by what you did.”
He imposed an 18-month supervision order, along with 100 hours of unpaid work and a requirement to complete the Sex Offenders Programme.
The sheriff also imposed a three-year non-harassment order and made Whyte subject to the notification requirements of the Sexual Offences Act.
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