The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Party attacker avoids prison
AFife man who sexually assaulted five women at a party – and attacked two men who challenged him – has avoided being sent to prison.
Drunken Jamie Downie, 31, was convicted of a string of assaults and sexual assaults which took place at The Phoenix pub in Glenrothes.
In total, after a trial at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court last month, he was convicted of striking five women on the buttocks with his hand.
The waste disposal firm boss also admitted injuring two men during his dancefloor rampage – which only lasted a matter of minutes – on October 23 last year.
He appeared in the dock at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.
Sheriff James MacDonald described Downie’s offending as a “course of conduct” which had ruined everyone’s evening.
The sheriff told him: “These assaults took place over a very short period of time.
“I understand your position is you have no recollection.
“We can simply see from CCTV you appear to be substantially intoxicated... but equally you must accept responsibility for your conduct.
“I’m not sure which aspects of this incident are worse, whether it’s the violence when being challenged... or the sexual element in the earlier stages, all of which was uninvited and ended up being something downright unwelcome to those present at the establishment.”
Sheriff MacDonald said the totality of Downie’s offending took him “well over the custody threshold” and he was fortunate not to have been standing trial before a jury.
The sheriff said Downie’s criminal record showed offending from some time ago and if the nightclub assaults had been more recent he would, “without hesitation”, have sent him to prison.
The sheriff instead sentenced Downie to carry out 225 hours of unpaid work within a year and placed him on a supervision order for 18 months.
Downie was also placed on the sex offenders register for 18 months.
CCTV footage captured the drunken attacks on the dancefloor of The Phoenix pub in Carrick Gate, Glenrothes, in October last year.
Shortly before midnight, Downie, of Meldrum Road in Kirkcaldy, began to assault people.
He had denied striking five women on the buttocks with his hand but admitted striking the two men – Alistair Donald by punching him on the head and body and Jamie Carscadden by punching him on the head.
Both men were left injured as a result.
None of the female victims can be identified for legal reasons.
Defence lawyer David McLaughlin said: “He continued his behaviour and made things far worse than they already were.”
The solicitor said his client’s position is that he viewed it as a joke at the time but accepts full responsibility and expresses remorse for his actions.