Man on sex offenders register after assaulting 17-year-old

T in The park: Girl was ‘terrified’

A teenager was sexually assaulted at T in the Park by a member of the official security staff.

The 17-year-old girl sought help after becoming detached from her friends but security officer Allan Freedman exploited her vulnerable state to kiss and grope her.

The 43-year-old had his name added to the sex offenders register yesterday after he admitted carrying out a sexual attack on the girl.

Freedman’s attack was one of a number of incidents recorded at the 2015 festival, as serious and sexual assaults reached record levels.

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte told Perth Sheriff Court the girl had been with a group of friends on July 10 but they had become separated from each other.

The girl thought they would be in the Slam tent so she found a member of staff – Freedman – and asked him for directions on how to get there.

Ms Whyte told the court it was clear, as Freedman was wearing a highvisibility vest, he was part of the official security team for the site at Strathallan Estate. She said Freedman led her towards the tent she was looking for before stopping and groping her as well as kissing her on the face and lips.

Ms Whyte said the girl, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was “terrified” as a result of Freedman’s behaviour and the police were called in.

Freedman, of Capelrig Street, Thornliebank, Glasgow, admitted sexually assaulting the girl by handling her knee and waist and repeatedly kissing her without consent.

The court heard Freedman is no longer working for the security firm which employed him at the festival, and sentence was deferred for reports.

T in the Park recorded the most serious assaults in its history last year, but overall crime at the festival dropped, a police report revealed.

There were six serious assaults at the 2015 event, compared to one in each of the festival’s previous three years.

Chief Superintendent Eddie Smith’s report said that petty assaults rose from 15 to 36 and there were 11 crimes of threatening behaviour.

Allan Freedman leaves Perth Sheriff Court yesterday.