By Mark Mackay

A DUNFERMLINE man caught peeping at women at the T in the Park music festival as they nipped for a “P in the Park” will appear for sentence at Perth Sheriff Court on May 2.

A worse-for-wear James Murray was apprehended by police officers after fellow festival-goers alerted them to his actions.

Murray (32), of Birrell Drive, took advantage of a gap in a metal fence to spend up to 20 minutes ogling the women, who were using temporary toilets which had been set up in a hurry.

His solicitor, Alexander Flett, said there was nothing sinister involved and instead suggested the incident was akin to something from a Carry On film.

Murray admitted yesterday that on July 7, at T in the Park at Balado, by Kinross, at the public toilets between the ceilidh tent and the main stadium, he conducted himself in a disorderly manner and looked through a gap in a temporary wall of a female toilet, committing a breach of the peace.

“During the concert, a temporary and very basic construction had been erected to enable females to use the area as a toilet area,” said depute fiscal Stuart Richardson.

“It seems to have been little more than a fence.”

Mr Richardson told the court that a little after 7pm on the Sunday, police were attracted to the area as they could see other festival-goers shouting at the accused.

He said, “This turned out to be because he was peering through a gap in the fence to watch females who were using the toilet.

“The police officers themselves didn’t observe him for more than a minute or two.

“However, it was indicated by other concert-goers that Murray had been there for more than 20 minutes doing this.

“In his defence, when it was put to Murray, he said it had not been as long as that.”

Mr Flett attempted to convince Sheriff Lindsay Foulis the incident had not been a sinister one.

He said, “Civilian witnesses described the man (Murray) as shouting to them, ‘Come over and see this.’

“That might perhaps support the view that this was more for a laugh than anything more sinister.

“I accept that the matter can be looked at in two ways.

“One would be of real concern to the court, while the other is akin to something out of a Carry On film.”

Mr Flett added, “My client was in fact called over by someone else who had seen the gap in the metal fence.

“They thought it was amusing and Mr Murray thought it was something amusing, too.

“He doesn’t believe it was 20 minutes, but he had taken a lot to drink and so is perhaps not in the best position to judge.”

Sheriff Fouls deferred sentence for social inquiry and community service reports.

He also said consideration should be given to whether Murray’s offence should see him put on the sex offenders register.