A man was caught on camera sexually assaulting a woman as she lay passed out in the back of her boyfriend’s car.
The victim’s partner watched in horror as he played back footage from the vehicle’s CCTV system.
He saw topless Cosmin Chesnoiu lean over and kiss his girlfriend, before groping her breast.
The 36-year-old appeared in the dock at Perth Sheriff Court on Monday and admitted a sex attack on the 30-year-old at a house party in Rattray, east Perthshire.
He was placed on the Sex Offenders Register and will be sentenced next month.
Victim was ‘unable to walk’
Fiscal depute Matthew Kerr told the court: “At about 9pm on April 24, this year, the complainer attended at a house party in Milton Crescent.
“She was with others who resided at the address.”
He said: “The accused attended at the house later in the evening, alone.
“At about 10.30pm, the complainer contacted her partner and asked him to come pick her up and drive her home.
“He arrived about half an hour later.”
The boyfriend attempted to phone the woman inside the house, but she didn’t pick up his call.
“He walked up to the property and knocked at the front door,” the prosecutor said.
“The complainer answered the door and appeared to be heavily under the influence of alcohol and unable to walk.”
Mr Kerr said the man helped his girlfriend into his car. “She was unable to get there by herself,” he said.
“She fell into the car, laying across the rear seat in a drunken stupor.
“The complainer’s partner then went back to the house to look for her mobile phone and handbag. He found them on top of the fridge in the kitchen and then went back out to the car.”
Mr Kerr said: “When he went outside, he could see the rear door of his vehicle was open.
“He witnessed the accused topless and leaning down towards the complainer’s head.”
Caught on camera
The boyfriend challenged Chesnoiu and asked him what he was up to.
“But the accused just walked away,” said Mr Kerr.
“The complainer’s partner felt uncomfortable about what he had witnessed, so he downloaded and reviewed CCTV footage from the exterior and interior of his vehicle.”
The fiscal depute said: “The footage showed the complainer lying on the back seat, unresponsive.
“The accused was then observed approaching the car and opening the back door.
“He was seen to crouch over the complainer, put his face towards hers.
“Kissing noises were then heard.”
Mr Kerr added: “The complainer lifted one of her hands and tried to push the accused away.
“The accused then began to fondle her right breast with his right hand.
“As the accused did this, he could clearly be seen checking to see if the complainer’s partner was returning.”
The court heard that the incident was reported to police and Chesnoiu was traced and arrested.
Place on register
Chesnoiu, of High Street, Rattray, pled guilty to sexually assaulting the woman by kissing her head and neck and fondling her breast over her clothing.
Solicitor Mike Tavendale told the court that the accused and complainer were known to each other.
“They had been kissing earlier on that night,” he said.
“They were both extremely drunk.”
The lawyer added: “The complainer is adamant that she didn’t want to make a complaint, but her boyfriend did.”
Sheriff David Hall told Chesnoiu: “Due to the nature of the charge, sentence will be deferred for reports.”
The sheriff said the length of time Chesnoiu will remain on the Sex Offenders Register would be determined when the case returns to court next month.
