A shop boss who grabbed and kissed a teenager without her consent has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
John Dobbie attacked the 17-year-old at the Mountain Warehouse store in Pitlochry, where he worked as a supervisor.
Dobbie was originally charged with sexually assaulting his victim following the distressing incident on April 12.
But when he appeared at Perth Sheriff Court last month, prosecutors accepted a guilty plea for a reduced charge of common assault.
Dobbie, 44, returned to the dock this week for sentencing.
Sheriff Gillian Wade told him she was “concerned” his plea had been accepted, given there was a “significant sexual aspect” to the offence.
After a lengthy legal discussion, the sheriff said to Dobbie: “I appreciate that you are a first offender and this may be your first time coming to court and you will be feeling anxious.
“However, it is important that I get the law right and I tailor a sentence that is suitable not just for you but for the public and the victim of this offence.”
She added: “I know you’ll want this over and done with but I need to know whether there is some underlying issue that needs to be addressed.”
Dobbie, of Pitlochry, was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and sentence was deferred again until January 18.
He must engaged with the Tay Project, a rehabilitation scheme for convicted sex criminals.
‘Touchy feely’
Dobbie lost his job after the kiss, which he told cops was “like a kiss I would give my daughter or an elderly person”.
Fiscal depute Sarah Wilkinson previously told the court Dobbie and his victim were known to each other and he was like a “father figure” to her.
She said: “That morning, the accused and the complainer were at the locus.
“The accused began asking the complainer about kissing him.
“He encouraged her to try it and asked if she wondered what it would be like.”
Ms Wilkinson said: “The complainer told the accused ‘no’.
“The accused then moved in close to the complainer and attempted to kiss her.
“He seized her by the body and pulled her in.
“He kissed her on the lips and she pulled away.”
Dobbie told her: “This doesn’t change anything, okay?”
“The complainer replied ‘okay’.
“She told her mother about what had happened and she also spoke to two members of staff at the store.
“They noted she was in distress.”
Solicitor Paul Ralph, defending, said his client described himself as a “touchy-feely” person.
