Highland social worker could walk free despite admitting sexually assaulting woman during visit

A Highland social worker who sexually assaulted a woman during a visit to her home could escape punishment.

David Macrae admitted the assault when he appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court last month.

And the 58-year-old’s lawyer took the rare step of asking Sheriff David Sutherland to defer conviction as well as sentence.

He provided a psychological report on his client to the sheriff, who then called for a background report on the married man before continuing the case until yesterday.

However solicitor John MacColl said the report was not yet available through no fault of his client and conviction and sentence was again deferred until January 25.

The lawyer’s move could pave the way for a plea that Macrae be granted an absolute discharge, despite his guilty plea.

That would mean he could walk free from court without a criminal conviction.

Macrae, of Rosedale Cottage, Hartmount, Tain, had visited the woman on June 15.