A man who sexually assaulted a woman who regarded him as a friend was spared a jail sentence yesterday.
Oliver Bond, 28, carried out the attack at a flat in Perth after his victim had been drinking.
A judge told Bond at the High Court in Edinburgh that it was “an extremely distressing experience” for the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Lord Tyre said Bond had taken advantage of her when she came to his home.
However, the judge told the first offender he believed he could deal with him without imposing a prison sentence.
He imposed a community payback order on Bond, now of East Wemyss, Fife, and ordered that he carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
The judge also made a conduct requirement for him to engage in offence-related work and a one-year supervision order.
Lord Tyre pointed out a social worker who prepared a background report on Bond took the view there was a low risk of him reoffending.
Bond carried out the sexual assault in May last year and touched the victim after putting his hand inside her underwear.
He originally faced an allegation of rape but was acquitted of that offence during an earlier trial that resulted in his conviction for the lesser assault charge.
The 24-year-old victim said she went to Bond’s flat after splitting with her then-boyfriend.
She said she drank nearly a bottle of Midori melon liqueur and watched a comedy programme on Netflix and passed out. She said when she awoke Bond’s arm was over her body and her trousers were unbuttoned.
“My trousers were definitely not unbuttoned when I lost consciousness,” she told the court.
“Oliver was touching me. He had his hand under my underwear.”
After the incident she went to a friend’s house and told him “something bad” had happened.
Defence counsel Craig Findlater urged the judge to impose a community payback order on Bond.
He told the court: “He is deemed as suitable for unpaid work in the community as a punitive element.”
