A Fife man who sexually assaulted a woman by groping her bottom in front of her husband has been put on the Sex Offenders Register.
Stephen Lyon, 55, previously admitted seizing and squeezing his victim’s backside at the Stagecoach Depot in the St Leonards area of Dunfermline, on July 22 this year.
Dunfermline Sheriff Court also heard Lyon was convicted for a “serious crime” when he was a teenager, the details of which were not disclosed.
He reappeared in the dock for sentencing on Wednesday.
Lost job after assault
Prosecutor Laura McManus told the court: “The accused pulled (the woman) close to him while hugging her and placed his left hand on her buttocks over her clothing whilst firmly groping her.
“The accused made a groaning noise and looked at (the woman’s) husband while doing so and stated, ‘look at this, (the husband’s name)”.
The fiscal depute said the couple perceived the action to have sexual motivation and it was reported to police.
Lyon, employed as a cleaner at the time, was arrested two days later.
The fiscal depute said Lyon replied at the time of arrest that he “tapped her on the bum as a laugh” and it was “all meant to be a joke” and “was not sexual”.
On being charged, he maintained he did not grope or sexually assault the woman.
Defence lawyer Pete Robertson said it was an incident of “upmost naivety” and Lyon did not understand what he had done was perceived as sexual.
He said: “The social worker has done a good job of explaining to Mr Lyon and he now understands his behaviour was completely inappropriate in that what he thought a joke is not to someone else”.
The solicitor said Lyon lost his job as a result but has since found work as a sales assistant at a local garage.
‘Startling’ disposal for previous crime
The court heard Lyon, of Brae Court, Glenrothes, has a “serious” previous conviction from 1986, when he was 17 years old.
Previously, it was described as having “some relevance” to the most recent offence.
Mr Robertson described the disposal in that case as “startling” but no further details were given in court.
On Wednesday, Sheriff Wyllie Robertson also expressed surprise at the disposal and sentenced Lyon to a community payback order with six months supervision, as a direct alternative to custody.
Lyon was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for six months.
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