A pensioner who groped a young girl does not view the assault as “sexual”, a court has been told.
Gordon Hayward appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court after he admitted touching the girl underneath her clothing at a court date in July this year.
The 73-year-old, who resides in Glasgow, has been banned from entering the city of Aberdeen, other than for court, while the sentence was deferred for background reports.
He pleaded guilty to a charge of the sexual assault of a child under the age of 13 by putting his hand under the child’s clothes and touching her.
The offence took place at an address in the city on an occasion in 2015.
He added the child was initially left “confused” about what had happened due to her age, before quickly becoming upset.
The incident only came to light years later when the girl told her mother what happened and police were contacted.
During his police interview, Hayward made a “full admission”.
73-year-old seemed to refuse to view the offence as ‘sexual’
Defence agent Paul Barnett told the court that Hayward was “absolutely appalled by his behaviour and that he really regrets committing the offence”.
However, he also added that the 73-year-old seemed to refuse to view the offence as sexual.
Mr Barnett said: “It was a very serious matter and the best that can be said about it is that it was a single occasion and was a non-penetrative sexual assault.
“As soon as Mr Hayward was confronted about it he admitted committing the offence and he plead guilty at the earliest opportunity.
“He also doesn’t have any previous convictions for this type of offending.”
‘Your inability to understand and sympathise is concerning’
Sentencing Hayward, Sheriff Mark Stewart QC told him: “At your age to have behaved in the manner in which you have is to a degree quite surprising – it is nonetheless extremely serious.
“Irrespective of your view on the matter, this undoubtedly affected the victim in the case probably more than you will understand or appreciate.
“Your inability to understand and sympathise with that is something which is concerning.
“It is a serious matter whether you accept that or not and it is one that could have resulted in you being incarcerated.”
Sheriff Mark Stewart sentenced Hayward, of Ashgill Road, Glasgow, to a three-year community payback order with a supervision requirement.
He also placed him on the sex offenders register for three years and ordered him to take part in a programme for convicted sex offenders.
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