A serial Aberdeen flasher has “worryingly” escalated his crimes to sexual assault after targeting a woman in a city centre post office.
Victor Rae, 53, appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court where he admitted touching his victim inside the branch at the St Nicholas Centre.
His solicitor Mike Monro – who pointed out Rae already has a number of previous convictions for exposing himself to women and girls – described his client as “on very thin ice”.
Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison branded Rae “a danger to the public” – and released him on bail.
Fiscal depute Rebecca Coakley told the court that at around 3pm on October 25 this year a woman was working her way through a queue of customers at the branch.
She said Rae was standing behind her and his “close proximity made her feel uncomfortable”.
The woman became aware of him touching her on her body, specifically on her bottom.
It was stated that the woman believed Rae to be touching her with his fingers.
Victim ‘angry and disgusted’
Rae then went to the counter and was served before leaving up the main stairs.
The shocked woman was “angry and disgusted” by Rae’s actions, the fiscal depute said.
CCTV was reviewed on October 26 and the matter was reported to police.
In the footage, Rae can be seen removing his right hand from his pocket and moving it towards the woman’s buttocks.
In the dock, Rae pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault.
Defence solicitor Mike Monro told the court that his client has no previous convictions for sexual assault but did have for public indecency.
Pervert’s long history of offending
In November 2006 he admitted to sending pictures of his genitals to an 11-year-old girl and also exposing himself indecently to her and a 14-year-old friend.
Back in 2011, Rae pled guilty to exposed himself and performed a sex act in front of two students in Seaton Park.
During the same court appearance, he also admitted making obscene gestures from the window of his home at two young girls waiting for a bus on March 13.
The prolific sex offender landed back in court in 2017 after rubbing his groin in front of a female dog walker in on Aberdeen’s Tullos Hill.
And in 2021 a court ordered that Rae be banned from parks, beaches and woodland after flashing a woman on Tyrebagger Hill.
‘He is on very thin ice’
Speaking about Rae’s latest crime, Mr Monro said: “I appreciate this is worrying because it seems he has now graduated to this behaviour.
“Mr Rae accepts that this cannot in any way be viewed as accidental contact – but he maintains that it was done on the spur of the moment.
“He knows and accepts that this was totally and utterly unpleasant and unacceptable.
“My client knows he is on very thin ice here.”
Sheriff Peter Grant-Hutchison told Rae: “I’m very concerned about the protection of the public here.
“I do regard you as a danger to the public Mr Rae, but I also believe a report should be prepared by a psychiatrist.”
The sheriff deferred sentence on Rae, of School Avenue, Aberdeen, until next month in order to get social work and psychological reports.
He also placed Rae on the sex offenders register in the meantime.
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