A government worker who sexually assaulted a sleeping woman failed to withdraw his guilty plea and has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
Martin Sharp previously pled guilty when he appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court.
The 25-year-old reappeared in the dock for sentencing on Wednesday.
Defence lawyer Pete Robertson argued for the withdrawal of Sharp’s guilty plea but the motion was refused by Sheriff Wyllie Robertson.
Assaulted sleeping woman
The court heard previously the offence took place on April 2 this year at a property in Rosyth.
Fiscal depute Andrew Brown said the woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been on a bed with Sharp and fell asleep with the duvet and blanket covering her.
Mr Brown said: “While she was asleep the accused started tickling her feet and her back, which led to the accused stroking her breasts and kissing her.
“(The woman) woke up… to the accused touching her breast with one hand, covering one breast with the other and his mouth.”
The fiscal said the woman initially pretended to be asleep to process what was going on.
When she visibly woke, Sharp asked if she had had a good sleep and admitted tickling her back and feet.
He later told the woman he would lose his job if the matter was reported to police, claiming it was an accident and he had no self-control.
When later cautioned by police, Sharp, of Carson Place, Rosyth, said: “What I have done is wrong.
“I did not think it was that bad at the time but now I know.”
‘Ramifications’
Defence lawyer Aime Allan told that hearing first offender Sharp is in full-time employment, working for “the government” but this may not continue.
The solicitor said: “There will be ramifications”.
She did not elaborate on the nature of his job.
On Wednesday, Sheriff Robertson sentenced Sharp to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work and placed him on offender supervision for 15 months, as part of a community payback order.
Sharp must inform anyone with whom he enters into a relationship of his sexual assault conviction.
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
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