A chef who subjected three women to sexual assaults and told one of them “I’m always going to sexually harass you” has been spared jail.
Andrew Kerr also held a knife to a woman’s side and told her: “I could kill you right now if I wanted to.”
His solicitor told the court that Kerr had a “jocular” way of communicating not always within “normal social boundaries”.
Kerr, 36, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court for sentencing on Tuesday.
He had previously admitted three charges of sexual assault, and two of assault at locations in Scotland between 2022 and 2023.
The charges related to four women.
Fiscal depute Emily Hood told the court that one of Kerr’s victims reported how he would “brush the front of his body past her” despite there being enough room to pass without touching.
Chef made woman ‘extremely uncomfortable’
On one occasion, Kerr put his hand on her waist and said: “Come here, baby” making her “extremely uncomfortable”
The woman challenged Kerr – but this “seemed to make him do it more.”
He told the woman: “I’m always going to sexually harass you”.
Kerr later asked if the woman and her partner would like a threesome and indicated he would imagine them engaged in intimacy.
Ms Hood told the court Kerr made comments that women are “objects” and “just for sex”.
On another occasion, the chef held a kitchen knife against the right side of the woman’s body.
Kerr “pressed it into her side” telling her: “I could kill you right now if I wanted to.”
Knife threat left woman ‘terrified’
The woman, who was aware that Kerr had an Armed Forces background, was terrified and believed his statement, the court was told.
Another woman also reported Kerr passing her closely and rubbing his body against her.
When their hands touched by accident while passing each other he told her: “A little bit further left or right and you would have touched my crotch.”
After she cut her finger, Kerr asked if he could kiss it better.
Sheriff Gary Aitken heard that Kerr targeted another woman as she was standing at a sink.
Kerr pressed his body against her before putting his hand on her neck.
A fourth woman reported how Kerr touched her shoulder before leaning over her and staring at her breasts.
Police interviewed Kerr but he denied wrongdoing.
Solicitor Stephen Kennedy for Kerr told the court his client – a first offender – had “a jocular way of communicating”.
Mr Kennedy added that he did not adhere to “normal social boundaries” adding: “He realises he has to change that.”
Behaviour was ‘wholly unacceptable’
He said his client had: “No intention to cause significant upset or distress” but “accepts that his behaviour was wholly unacceptable.”
“He realises that he has overstepped,” adding: “He misread the social cues.”
Sheriff Aitken told Kerr: “It is hard to understand objectively how you could have conceivably have thought that any of the behaviour demonstrated by you was acceptable, never mind that it was not criminal.”
“Having been challenged on that behaviour on a number of occasions and then continuing with it does indeed suggest someone who needs a significant alteration in their attitude and communication otherwise you are not a fit person to continue living in the community.”
However, Sheriff Aitken decided to allow Kerr to stay living within the community.
He placed Kerr on a community payback order with three years’ supervision, 225 hours of unpaid work and a requirement to participate in the Moving Forward 2 Change programme for sex offenders.
The sheriff also placed Kerr, of Onich, on the sex offenders register for three years.