A Moray man who sexually assaulted a teenager while she tried to sleep has been jailed.
Stephen Gwilliam made the “spur of the moment” decision to run his hand up the 15-year-old’s leg as she lay on the sofa.
Yesterday, the 27-year-old was jailed when he appeared at Elgin Sheriff Court, and put on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
Moray teenager was ‘too scared’ to move as she was sexually assaulted while she tried to sleep
The court heard that Gwilliam, of Lossiemouth, had admitted having sexual thoughts about the girl during interviews with police.
Defence solicitor Stephen Carty told the court his client immediately appreciated the seriousness acting out his feelings.
He said: “He has never challenged his guilt on this matter. The effect this is going to have on the complainer is not lost on him. He accepts what he has done is entirely wrong.
“He explains this was taken on the spur of the moment. There was nothing untoward physically until the offence took place.”
Gwilliam had been monitored round the clock when he was taken into custody in Glasgow following the attack. Mr Carty explained his client’s mental health had improved since the offence.
At an earlier hearing fiscal Robert Weir described the teenage victim as feeling “scared” and staying still so she did not alert her attacker that she was awake.
He said: “The victim was lying on the sofa trying to fall asleep while wearing pyjama shorts with no underwear.
“A short time later she felt the accused’s hand on her thigh running up her leg. She moved slightly but still pretended to be asleep.”
Sheriff Chris Dickson considered prison to be the only option for dealing with the sex offender.
He said: “This was an extremely serious offence of sexual assault involving a person who was just under the age of 16.
“Given the gravity of the offence I consider that a custodial sentence is the only appropriate way of dealing with you.”
Gwilliam was jailed for 20 months after pleading guilty to a charge of sexual assault.
