Act of ‘stupidity’ sees Montrose visitor to Fort fined £480

A Montrose reveller, enjoying a visit to Fort William for the summer’s mountain biking world championships event, was fined £480 for what a sheriff described as ‘a ridiculously stupid thing to do’.

Graeme Robb Simpson, 32, of Dalhousie Terrace, Montrose, had pleaded guilty to an amended charge of common law assault when he appeared at Fort William Sheriff Court last week.

The court heard that on the day in question, father of one Simpson, who is single, had been under the influence of alcohol having been drinking since the lunchtime of the previous day.

Procurator Fiscal Robert Weir said a woman unknown to Simpson had been walking in the High Street: ‘The accused had placed his head between her breasts and shook his head from side to side before walking away.

‘The matter was reported to police. A foot patrol was nearby and the accused was traced and arrested.’

Defence agent Catriona Rowantree said Simpson had been in the town for the mountain biking world championships and had been with friends.

‘He had started drinking at lunchtime the previous day and this was an act of drunken stupidity on his part. There was no sexual intent on his part and he has expressed remorse and regret,’ she said.

Fining Simpson, who works as a mechanical fitter, Sheriff Eilidh MacDonald commented: ‘This was a ridiculously stupid thing to do.’