A sacked gym worker who attacked a female colleague and bundled her into a tumble dryer was told by a sheriff that he had “an appalling attitude towards women.”
Brian Lorimer, who worked at Bannantyne’s in Perth, was ordered to stay clear of his victim after the assault in the gym’s industrial laundry room.
Perth Sheriff Court heard that Lorimer, of Rannoch Road, Perth, picked up the colleague and put her inside a dryer.
He then shouted to another employee to come and take a photograph.
Texts for sex
The 51-year-old previously pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman on September 23 last year.
He also admitted to texting the woman asking for sex just days later.
Fiscal depute Andrew Harding told the court: “The complainer works at the locus. So did the accused.
“At some time on September 23 or 24, the complainer and accused were working within the laundry room.”
A third employee was within a different area of the room at the time.
“All of a sudden the accused picked up the complainer and placed her in a industrial drier,” said Mr Harding.
“The accused has then shouted through to the witness to come and take a picture.”
Lorimer made it clear to the third employee that the woman was in the drier.
Perth Sheriff Court heard the woman tried to climb out of the machine.
Sacked
Lorimer’s defence solicitor Billy Somerville said that, at the time, his client didn’t see anything wrong with his actions.
He added: “He now realises it was wholly inappropriate.
“He’s not working just now. He lost his job as a result of this.”
At 10.30pm on September 26, Lorimer then sent the woman a text message which was “indecent, obscene or menacing in character.”
She eventually blocked him.
The woman had attended court and explained she was “extremely anxious” about Lorimer’s actions.
Sheriff Euan Duthie said Lorimer showed an “appalling attitude towards women.”
He added: “This pattern of behaviour is extremely concerning.”
The sheriff chose not to jail Lorimer, but handed him 120 hours of unpaid work.
Lorimer was also placed under supervision for a year and issued with a two year non-harassment order.
