A sixty-year-old man has admitted sexually assaulting a housekeeper less than half his age in a Fife hotel room.
Gary Low appeared in person at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court where he pled guilty to the offence committed at the Wetherspoons Golden Acorn Hotel in Glenrothes town centre on October 3 this year.
Low, whose address was given in court as Barnshale Farm, Kilmalcolm, admitted one charge of sexual assault by kissing a 29-year-old woman on the cheek and touching her breast.
The court heard Low had worked as a farmhand and had been staying at the Golden Acorn for a two-week period, striking up conversations with the woman during his stay.
On the morning in question, he asked the woman to come to his room.
Low closed the door behind him and approached the woman, who was in the bathroom, lowering her facemask and kissing her on the cheek.
Depute fiscal Alistair McDermid said the woman attempted to diffuse the situation, saying to Low: “Social distancing….”
However, Low then grabbed her by the small of the back and touched her breast.
At that point, she told Low “no” and ran out of the room before telling her colleagues downstairs what had happened.
Police were called and Low was arrested later that day.
Defence solicitor David Cranston said his client had been drinking too much on the morning of the incident and had a “rush of blood to the head”.
“He decidedly foolishly he would make a lunge for this lady, and he is disgusted with himself,” Mr Cranston went on.
“He tells me that he’s not a ladies’ man, he’s had relationships from time to time and he’s always had respect for women in the past.”
Sheriff James Williamson called for reports and deferred sentence on Low until November 23.
Low was also placed on the sex offenders’ register in the interim.
