A Latvian man who groped a teenage girl could be deported.
At Perth Sheriff Court Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Vladimirs Garkuls, 38, that his actions did not conform with “the norms of social behaviour” and that there was no realistic alternative to a prison sentence.
The court heard that Garkuls, who is of no fixed abode, had parked a car near to some teenage girls in Alyth at around 9.20pm and he was seen “staggering” as he walked from the vehicle towards the group.
Garkuls, who is married and has lived in Scotland for three years, spoke in broken English to the young girls.
During the course of the conversation, he took hold of the shoulders of one girl but she attempted to push him off.
The court heard that Garkuls then put his left hand on to the girl’s right breast, before she managed to “struggle” away from him.
Solicitor Cheryl McKnight, defending, said that, with regard to the groping incident, her client had not done this before.
“My client accepts this incident and is realistic about his prospects,” she added.
Garkuls admitted that on April 6 at Market Square, Alyth, he drove with excess alcohol 76 mics, more than twice the legal limit of 35 mics.
He also admitted that on the same date and in the same location he drove while disqualified and without insurance.
Garkuls pleaded guilty to a further charge, that on the same date and place he sexually assaulted a woman by taking hold of her shoulders with his hands and then repeatedly squeezing her breast.
Mrs McKnight told the court that her client had “consumed” alcohol throughout the day in question.
“My client drove this car 200 metres to another location,” she said.
“He accepts he had been drinking, but didn’t feel particularly drunk.”
Sentencing Garkuls, Sheriff Foulis told him he had showed “complete denial” of the incidents.
“The information you gave to your agent to be put forward in mitigation is completely inconsistent,” he went on.
“You accept taking alcohol but, as far as I can see, your explanation for driving over the legal alcohol limit is that you didn’t feel drunk. Your explanation for the sexual assault on the female is that it is not something that is in your character, but you must have been drunk.”
He continued: “As far as I can see, you are an individual that does not conform with the norms of social behaviour.
“You are a Latvian man and they are part of the European Union, but I don’t consider that I can deal with deportation a government department will do that.
“However, you are the sort of person who has behaved in an inappropriate manner that is not consistent with a person to be entitled to render them to stay in the UK.”
On Wednesday, Garkuls was sentenced to 15 months in prison, which was backdated to May 8 to take account of time he had spent in custody.
He was also banned from driving for 12 years and ordered to sit the extended driving test after that.
In addition, he was put on the sex offenders register.