Punched women in local shop
Reacted after comment
A convicted sex offender attacked two women in a local store after overhearing comments that there were “perverts everywhere”.
Forty-nine-year-old William Bannigan, of Hatton Place, Blairgowrie, thought they were talking about him, Perth Sheriff Court was told.
As a result, he “lost his cool” and subjected the females, aged 39 and 22 at the time, to a “flurry of punches” to the head and body.
The pair tried to take refuge in the Scotmid shop in Rattray but the accused chased after them and cornered them near a storeroom.
One was repeatedly punched on the head and body and the other was seized by the hair, pulled to the floor and repeatedly punched.
But he escaped a prison sentence on Wednesday despite his record of previous convictions.
Bannigan was jailed for five months in August 2012, when he was found guilty after trial of a sexual offence involving a child.
His name was added to the Sex Offenders’ Register.
Depute fiscal Andrew Harding said that the two women were walking towards the ATM at the Scotmid Co-op shortly after 6pm.
“The accused was walking on the opposite side of the road.”
The pair were “engaged in conversation” about someone in the area and the term “pervert” was used.
“The accused was ahead of them and stopped and stared at the witnesses.
“He did walk on for a short while and turned back and ran towards them.”
They ran into the shop and tried to get into a storeroom but he followed them.
The first victim suffered a “sore and cut lip” and the other had a bump to her forehead but neither required any medical treatment.
Solicitor David Holmes said his client had unsuccessfully appealed against his 2012 conviction and never accepted his guilt.
As a consequence of that conviction, he had been “subjected to a significant level of provocation by way of things said against him”.
There were only the two women and himself in the street at the time and he heard them talking about perverts.
He also overheard one of them saying “there were perverts everywhere.”
The lawyer added: “He was walking minding his own business. He accepts he lost his cool.
“He realises and recognises this is not the way to conduct himself.”
Sheriff Neil Bowie told the accused: “The only question for me is whether to send you to custody or not.
“You are very close to that.”
But he noted Bannigan had stayed out of trouble “for some years,” and added: “For you, that is a saving grace.”
The accused was ordered to complete the maximum 300 hours of unpaid work within 18 months after admitting attacking the women on June 30, 2020, by repeatedly punching them to the head and body and seizing one by the hair.
“This was appalling behaviour... however you feel you were being spoken about,” added the sheriff.
The only question for me is whether to send you to custody or not. You are very close to that Sheriff Neil Bowie, Perth Sheriff Court