Footballer spared jail for grope

Man reached up woman’s skirt

A footballer who put his hands up the skirt of a woman at a Hallow’een party in Stirling was last week spared jail.

Isaac Layne was also given extra time to complete an unpaid work order so he can fit in the hours round his playing duties.

Layne was placed under supervision and on the sex offenders’ register for 18 months and ordered to carry out 120 hours’ unpaid work.

A court heard Layne, 23, who plays for Stranraer, had rubbed the thighs and “grazed” the underwear of his victim, a 20-year-old Stirling University student,

She had gone to the “scary night” event, at Dusk night club, Stirling, on October 31 last year as Edward Scissorhands.

The striker, who continues to claim innocence despite being found guilty last month of sexual assault, was told by Sheriff Wyllie Robertson that his continued denials would normally rule him out of a supervision order.

The sheriff, who had briefly adjourned to read a background report on Layne, said: “Normally someone who is denying the circumstances of which they have been found guilty would not be suitable for supervision, but the author of the social work report says there are some areas that would be beneficial because of certain factors. I am prepared to consider that.”

The sheriff added that rather than requiring Layne to complete his unpaid work order in six months, as is usual, he would allow him 12.

He told Layne this was “because of your employment situation and the difficulties that may arise from regular, routine appointments during the week”.

Layne’s lawyer, Robert Smith, earlier asked the sheriff for leniency.

He said: “He’s a young man who’s had an unfortunate personal background, with the death of his mother at an early age and the lack of involvement of his father in his life.

“He was effectively brought up by his eldest brother.

“He has been employed since he was 17 in the professional football world.”

At his trial last month, Layne’s victim said as she danced, she became aware of a black male in an unbuttoned shirt – who turned out to be Layne – dancing “very, very close” behind her.

She said: “He came up behind me and put his hands on my waist. He was trying to grind on me.

“He put his hand under my skirt on my thighs, three to four inches above my knee and I felt his hands graze my underwear. He wouldn’t go away.”

The woman went to the toilet, where she burst into tears, but returned to the dance floor only for Layne to move in again.

“He continued trying to dance with me, again being very ‘handsy’, putting his hands on my waist,” she added.

The woman’s friends spoke to bouncers and Layne, a first offender, of Springburn, Glasgow, but formerly of Alloa, was ejected from the club.

The incident occurred on the night of October 31st/November 1st last year (2017).

After sentencing, Layne told a reporter: “I’m innocent, and I’m going to appeal before you destroy me.”

His previous clubs include Southend, Stirling Albion, Alloa Athletic and Brechin City.