A pensioner who sexually assaulted three schoolgirls on a busy Dundee bus admitted: I’m ashamed of what I’ve done.
Roger Prior, 68, of Lewis Terrace in Mill o’ Mains, was placed on the sex offenders register at Dundee Sheriff Court after admitting targeting the girls on a service which left from the city centre.
Fiscal depute Nicola Gillespie said the girls had gone into town after finishing school one day in October last year before boarding the bus in Crichton Street.
She said: “It was a single-decker and was very busy due to the time.
“The girls got seats at the back, directly in front of the accused, who was already on the bus.
“The accused tried to talk to them. He said he had been drinking in town with his brother, like he did every Monday.”
The girls were uninterested in his conversation and told him to stop talking to them.
One girl got up to move to another seat, away from Prior, and as she stood up he slapped her bottom with a rolled up newspaper, the court heard.
The fiscal said: “The noise was so loud it made most people on the bus turn around.
“She said it hurt slightly but she was more shocked and embarrassed about what he had done.
“He carried on talking to the two girls in front of him in an inappropriate manner.
“They wanted to move but were too frightened after what he had done to the first girl.”
As the bus approached a stop, Prior stood up to get off. As he passed one of the girls in front, he leant in to kiss her but she moved back.
He then touched her arm and ran his hand down her arm and along her thigh.
Prior then touched the third girl’s arm and leg in the same manner before getting off the bus.
The incident was witnessed by adult passengers who assisted the girls in contacting police.
Prior admitted three charges of sexually assaulting three children, on a bus in October last year.
Sentence was deferred until March 9. Prior told the Tele: “Since the police approached my door in December my life has totally changed.
“I don’t remember getting home never mind being on the bus. It was a shock to hear what I had done.
“I’m ashamed and I’m sorry for any distress that I’ve caused to these girls.
“This whole event has given me a major wake-up call and I’ve taken steps to reduce my alcohol intake.
“I can assure you it will never happen again.”
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