A Fife businessman who sexually assaulted multiple women at his shops had a fetish for socks, a court heard.
Erkan Cetin targeted the women at three of his stores, in Rosyth and Inverkeithing.
One of the stores was called Socks Avenue.
The 57-year-old has narrowly escaped a jail sentence and was instead placed under supervision.
He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register and made to agree to strict conditions regarding internet use and contact with under-16s.
Six women targeted
At Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court, Cetin, of Broad Street, Cowdenbeath admitted sexually assaulting five different women between August 2015 and May 2017.
He touched three of the women on the body on various occasions at Socks Avenue, Rosyth and Moda Moda, Inverkeithing, as well as Arman Connections in Inverkeithing, between August 2015 and September 2016.
In early 2017, he attacked a fourth woman on a number of occasions by touching her, unfastening her clothing and rubbing oil on her hair and body.
Later that year, he targeted a fifth woman on various occasions at the Inverkeithing stores by rubbing her face, rubbing his body against hers and placing his fingers in her mouth.
He then kissed her and attempted to put his tongue in her mouth, sucked her ear, put his hand inside her clothing and touched her intimately, as well as trying to undress her.
He further admitted making sexual comments towards a sixth woman at Arman Connection, Inverkeithing on various occasions in 2016.
‘Unhealthy interest’ in lingerie and socks
Cetin has a string of failed businesses to his name and now works as a cook at a fast food takeaway in Kirkcaldy.
Advocate Johnathon Crowe, defending, said Cetin had struggles in his personal life at the time of the offences.
He said: “This was in relation to difficulties in his self-employment, the death of his wife in 2007 and the failing relationship with his fiancee, which led him to consume alcohol.
“This had a cumulative effect.
“Leading up to this he had an unhealthy interest in women’s lingerie, including sock-wearing.”
Mr Crowe said Cetin was repeatedly exposed to images of women wearing socks through the catalogues and brochures he used in the course of his business.
“He feels this led to his offending behaviour, which he deeply regrets,” he said.
“He accepts that his behaviour must have been deeply upsetting for the young women and hopes there’s not been a deep impact.”
He added a social work report indicated the behaviour was “isolated and out of character”.
Narrowly avoided prison
Sheriff James Williamson warned Cetin offences such as his often result in a custodial sentence.
However, he said he was persuaded by the reports Cetin was not a risk to the community.
He placed him on a three-year supervision order and ordered him to carry out 270 hours of unpaid work.
In addition, Cetin was made subject to requirements, including only staying in approved accommodation, having no contact with under-16s without approval and only taking on approved employment.
He must also be willing to hand over for inspection, on demand, any device capable of accessing the internet and is banned from deleting their search histories.
Sheriff Williamson also placed Cetin on the Sex Offenders Register for three years.
