A man who claimed he hugged his married lover has been found guilty of assault.
Karl Pattinson and Mareece Goring had a secret affair – but they argued during a get-together with his friends at her family home in Inverness.
Pattinson, 24 and from Invergarry, was found guilty after trial of seizing 31-year-old Mrs Goring by the body in her marital home in Kenneth Street, Inverness, on April 16, after the boozy all-night party.
Inverness Sheriff Court heard that her husband was not at home at the time she entertained Pattinson and his pals and did not know of the relationship.
Sheriff Gordon Fleetwood was told that after the row, the affair continued with Mrs Goring renting an apartment for a week near Pattinson’s home for the couple to continue their illicit liaison.
It was after they broke up in June that Mrs Goring reported the assault to police, she confirmed in evidence.
The court heard that the pair had met on a social media site, with Pattinson, who denied the assault charge, claiming the relationship: “was purely sexual.”
He told the court: “I loved her and wouldn’t have wanted to hurt her. We argued but I can’t remember about what only that she was upset. I think it may have been about splitting up.
“I was trying to console her and gave her a hug. It lasted for maybe five or 10 seconds.”
But Mrs Goring said Pattinson had grabbed her to prevent her leaving her bedroom and it was “unwanted contact.”
“We had all been drinking and Karl became upset. I held him and spoke with him in a soft gentle voice. I then told him that one of his friends had acted inappropriately with me, being touchy, feely, trying to get me on my own and threatening to come round to my house.
“I told Karl this and he started screaming at me, and told me not to be stupid. I got a fright and was really scared. I tried to leave the room and he locked both his arms tightly around me from behind.
“I didn’t think it was a hug.”
She told the Sheriff that she eventually managed to get him to leave the house and she threw his belongings out into the street.
However, cross examined by LauraJane Macnaughton, she admitted: “I have been married for seven years and my husband was not aware of the relationship. But we were talking about separating.
“I had sex with Karl after the break-up. My husband found out and we separated.
“I am no longer separated.” Mrs Goring said.
In evidence, Pattinson said he thought the argument was about them breaking up and claimed he did not know about the allegations concerning his friend until later.
“She hired an apartment for a week near my home and had lunch with my mum. But in June I told her I felt the relationship had run its course, She didn’t take it too well.”
Sentence was deferred for first offender Pattinson’s good behaviour for six months until July 14.
CORRECTION: We have been asked to clarify our reporting of a case at Inverness sheriff court on January 17 in which Karl Pattinson was found guilty of assaulting Mareece Goring.
We have been asked by Mrs Goring to clarify that even although she was legally married at the time, she and her husband had agreed to a separation before her relationship with Pattinson, so it was incorrect to imply it was an affair.
We are happy to clarify this.
Furthermore, in our reporting of the cross-examination of Mrs Goring, we mistakenly used words attributed to Mrs Goring in quotes which were, in fact, put to her by defence counsel in the form of questions about her marital status and relationship with Pattinson.
In court, Mrs Goring simply replied in the affirmative or otherwise in answer to those questions.
We apologise for any upset caused to Mrs Goring.
