A wealthy farmer who groped a player during the final moments of a curling match was placed under social work supervision for six months yesterday.
George Elder, 63, from Barleymill Farm at Brodie, denied the sexual assault which occurred at Inverness Ice Centre last February – but was convicted after trial.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that Elder still maintained his innocence of the charge but accepted responsibility.
Yesterday, he was placed on the sex offender’s register for six months by Sheriff Chris Dickson
He said: “This must have been an unpleasant and upsetting experience for your victim, but I am pleased to see from the background report that you have expressed regret.
“In view of the fact that it is unlikely you will re-offend, I can deal with it by a community payback order whereby you will remain under supervision to promote your rehabilitation. I will review your progress in three months on May 6.”
Defence agent John MacColl told the Sheriff that his client had expressed remorse for the incident and accepts responsibility for it.
“But he does not accept what was alleged to have been done. However he has no choice but to accept responsibility.” Mr MacColl went on.
During the trial, his victim – who cannot be named for legal reasons – told the court she was participating in a match against Elder’s team and her husband was about to play the final shot.
She told fiscal depute David Morton: “My husband was about to play his last shot after George, who had come alongside our team.
“This was against the rules. He gave me a cuddle and said: ‘Let’s see if we can put him off.’ Then he grabbed my breast without warning. I pushed his hand away and said: ‘That’s enough of that, you.’
“I asked my husband if he had seen it and he said no but added: ‘I am not surprised.’ Then he played his stone and we won the match. I could see that another player had seen it and I went over to her to confirm it.
“When I saw George in the gallery later, I told him that his behaviour was entirely inappropriate. He apologised.”
