A former Fife charity boss has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register after admitting inappropriately touching a woman and commenting on her sex life in front of others.
Richard Etheridge was a director of Cupar children’s cancer charity Toby’s Magical Journey.
His directorship was terminated in January this year after five and a half years.
He previously appeared at Dundee Sheriff Court to admit two offences.
While within the charity’s Bonnygate base, he sexually assaulted a woman by touching her breasts and buttocks over her clothing.
Court papers confirm this happened “on more than one occasion” between July 2019 and December 2021.
The 49-year-old also admitted repeatedly making inappropriate remarks about the woman’s sexual relationship while other people were present, between April 2019 and February 2022.
The woman cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Autism diagnosis
Solicitor Lee Qumsieh explained his client had been diagnosed with autism since the commission of the offences but that this did not give him a “substantive defence.”
He said: “At the time of this offence, he didn’t fully acknowledge social cues about certain behaviour being inappropriate.
“He’s now very conscious of things he says and things he does.
“He’s engaged fully. He is fully accepting responsibility.
“He described being mortified about what he’s done.
“At the time, he didn’t realise his behaviour was wrong.
“He’s a man with no previous convictions.
“The behaviour does seem out of character.
“He clearly is someone with a number of physical health issues, as well as mental health.
“He’s someone who walks with the use of a stick.”
‘Light duties’ on community service
Etheridge, whose address was given in court as Dunolly Place in St Andrews is believed to have recently moved to Fraserburgh.
He was placed under supervision for 18 months and on the Sex Offenders Register for the same period.
Sheriff John Rafferty also issued a non-harassment order lasting a year and a half and instructed Etheridge to complete 90 hours of unpaid work.
The sheriff said: “There has to be some punishment.
“In this case I’m able to avoid a custodial disposal.
“I consider that supervision is appropriate.
“I take into account the fact that you have no previous convictions.
“There does in my view require to be an element of punishment.
“I’m taking into account the whole circumstances.
“It seems to me that unpaid work is appropriate.
“Duties will require to be light duties.”
Charity
Toby’s Magical Journey was set up by Cupar fundraiser Toby Etheridge with his parents.
Toby was in primary five when he was diagnosed with leukaemia on December 12 2014.
After raising thousands of pounds, he opened a drop-in centre in his Cupar hometown in 2018, the same year he was declared cancer-free.
