A chemistry teacher convicted of sexually assaulting an 18-year-old woman in a shop was told that “all is not lost” by a sheriff yesterday.
Boyd Sigerson, 41, previously pleaded guilty at Oban Sheriff Court to touching the woman’s bottom.
Sheriff Ruth Anderson said that while he had lost his profession as a result of the incident, he had talents which could lead to finding a new job.
The court earlier heard that his victim recognised him because he was a teacher at Oban High School.
Sigerson, of Benderloch, was placed on the sex offenders register.
He appeared before Sheriff Ruth Anderson for sentencing yesterday. She told him: “You will need to do some hard thinking. All is not lost. You have still got a future. You have still got talents which I am sure can be employed somewhere else. Let’s see where you are in a year.”
Sentence was deferred until June 19 2018.
The incident took place in Albany Stores, Oban, on March 4 after 10.30pm as the young woman made her way home from work.
Sigerson was captured on CCTV.
Fiscal Eoin McGinty said: “He appeared to look at the top shelf where pornographic magazines were stacked. The complainer went to the counter to pay for her items. It is apparent from the CCTV the accused was watching her.
“As soon as she went to the counter to pay the accused was seen to come up behind her very deliberately and touch her on her bottom.”
Defence solicitor Kevin McGuinness said Sigerson wished to make it clear that he did not recognise the young woman involved.
Sheriff Ruth Anderson said: “From the narration given by the crown and what I saw on the CCTV it was clearly unacceptable but drunken behaviour. It clearly caused the complainer some distress.
“It seems to me to have arisen more out of drunkenness than anything else.”
She continued: “He has lost his job, his profession. Lost his reputation. He will never work in his profession again. He has paid very dearly for this drunken stupidity.”
The sheriff added: “Let me make it clear. The court is not condoning this kind of behaviour. Having looked at the whole circumstances, the court has some sympathy with the fall-out to your client as a result of all this.”
