A man tried to kiss a visitor to his Highland home and then refused to take no for an answer when the woman rejected his advances, a court has heard.
Stuart Bissett begged the lady for “just one” kiss after she told him: “No”.
But the 57-year-old then put his hand on her crotch and buttock, and later apologised to her in a text message, saying: “I’m sorry, it won’t happen again”.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that the victim had turned up at her attacker’s Moss-Side Brae home in Nairn for work purposes, on May 2 of this year.
During the sexual assault, Bissett put his hands on the woman’s hips, tried to kiss her on the mouth, touched her groin and grabbed her buttock.
Bissett appeared in the dock to plead guilty to a single charge of sexual assault.
Fiscal depute Emma McEwan said, on the day of the crime, the woman was visiting Bissett’s home for work purposes.
The pair chatted and went outside for a cigarette together and when they returned inside, Bissett opened a cupboard door to show the woman something.
As she went to look in the cupboard, Bissett touched her hips. After that, the pair moved to the kitchen.
‘Just one’ kiss
“As the accused went past, he made a comment about getting a kiss from her,” Ms MacEwan said, adding that the woman felt Bissett had “encroached on her personal space”.
She put both hands up and said, “No”, but Bissett then responded by saying: “Just one”.
The woman tried to move away from him but Bissett “put his hand on her groin, touching her over her clothing”.
She tried to move away quickly but Bissett managed to grab her buttock over her clothing.
The woman left the property and went to her sister’s house and later contacted Bissett by sending him a text message.
“The accused replied, stating he was very sorry for his actions and it would not happen again,” Ms MacEwan told the court.
‘I am sorry for what I have done’
When Bissett was later arrested, he told the police: “I know it was inappropriate. I am sorry for what I have done”.
His defence solicitor John MacColl reserved any comments in mitigation for after the production of pre-sentencing reports, which were called for by Sheriff Ian Cruickshank.
Bissett was also placed on the sex offenders register for a length of time that will be decided at Bissett’s sentencing next month.
