A former youth soccer and swimming coach who admitted indecently assaulting young boys may get the opportunity to be sentenced on less serious charges.
Last month lawyer Matthew O’Neill withdrew from acting for 67-year-old Robert Russell because his client refused to accept responsibility for the offences to social workers.
But yesterday, his new solicitor, Alison Foggo persuaded Sheriff Margaret Neilson to defer sentence again because she had “concerns” over discrepancies between victim statements and the details on some of the charges to which he pled guilty.
At an earlier hearing, the court was told that Russell of Cooper Street, Elgin, lured young boys into his hostel bedroom and indecently assaulted them.
North football coach admits luring boys to a hostel bedroom and indecently assaulting them
He admitted a sexual assault on one teenager, and indecently assaulting three others.
The offences were said to have taken place between August 1977 and August, 1984.
But Miss Foggo said: “He was charged with assaulting one boy on various occasions in a course of conduct over two years. However the witness statement does not support that.
“This could have an effect on sentence. Also in another charge, there is a discrepancy between the charge and the narrative given in court which tends to suggest that an assault took place in my client’s private room.
“However the complainer says it happened in the street and he regarded it as a joke or banter. That does not constitute an assault.
“My motion is to continue the case to allow the Crown to consider my concerns.”
Miss Foggo went on.
Fiscal Alison Whylie said she was not involved in the case but added: “I don’t think there will be a difficulty. We will maybe tweak the narrative. I think we can resolve matters pretty quickly.”
Sentence was again deferred until August 20.