A farm worker who claimed he only wanted to speak to a woman when he grabbed her on the street, “went about it the wrong way” – a court has been told.
Peteris Kuklis, of Kinneff in Aberdeenshire, has been fined £640 for the drunken behaviour.
He was intoxicated when he grabbed a woman as she walked home late at night in Aberdeen.
Kuklis, 51, spoke to her as she left a cinema in the city centre and then followed her on King Street.
He then grabbed her by the hips and pulled her towards him.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard his 33-year-old victim managed to push her attacker away before running off.
But his solicitor told the court that Kuklis had wanted to speak to the woman “but went about it the wrong way”.
Victim ran off after assault
Kuklis, a Latvian national, had arrived for a hotel stay in Aberdeen that night.
Fiscal depute David Rogers told the court that, at close to midnight on October 28 last year, the woman left Vue Cinema on Shiprow, when Kuklis approached her and asked if she smoked.
“She told him she did not and continued walking along towards King Street,” Mr Roger said.
“The witness was walking at pace and as she passed Buzz Bingo, she became aware of someone walking behind her.
“The accused then proceeded to grab the witness by the hips and tried to pull her closer.
“She pushed the accused away and began to run towards her home address.”
Kuklis pleaded guilty to one charge of assault against the woman by seizing her and pulling her toward him.
‘A very alarming experience’
Defence agent Michael Burnett told the court that Kuklis had been socialising in Aberdeen city centre on the night of the attack.
“He does struggle to find the right words when trying to express himself and had had a lot to drink,” he said.
“Mr Kuklis had wanted to speak to the complainer – or at least that was his intention – but he went about it the wrong way.
“Despite the relatively minor nature of the action and his inebriated state, he didn’t try to pursue her in any way afterwards.”
Sheriff Kevin Duffy told Kuklis this must have been a “very alarming experience” for the young woman so late at night.
He added: “The fact that you had been drinking alcohol is no excuse.
“If there is any repeat of this type of behaviour, then the court will have to take other measures.”
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