A Glenrothes man who sexually assaulted three 12-year-old girls and a 15-year-old girl was told by a Fife sheriff he is to have no unsupervised contact with children under the age of 16 for the next 10 years.
Gary Hamilton (43), of Lundin Crescent, admitted that on various dates between August 19 2011 and September 19 2011 at an address in Fife he sexually assaulted all four girls by rubbing their legs with his hand.
The 15-year-old was assaulted on several occasions between September 1 2011 and September 9 2011, while the first 12-year-old was assaulted on several occasions between August 19 2011 and September 15 2011.
The second 12-year-old was assaulted on two occasions between August 19 2011 and September 9 2011 and the third 12-year-old was assaulted on several occasions on September 19.
Sheriff Charles Macnair said the period of the offences was ”relatively limited” but added this could be attributed to ”the various degrees of disclosure” by the children involved.
He said that while he had considered a custodial sentence, he felt a lengthy supervisory order would be more in the interest of the public.
Hamilton was ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work within a nine-month period and was placed on a supervisory order as well as the sex offenders register for three years.
He was also told he had to take part in a community payback programme.
Addressing Hamilton, Sheriff Macnair added: ”I am satisfied it is also necessary for the protection of the public that an order is made under the Sexual Offences Act to make a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO) for you not to have contact with children under the age of 16 years without the consent of the parents who have knowledge of the order.”