A 24-year-old man who got drunk and made inappropriate sexual comments to a 76-year-old woman has been spared a jail sentence at Arbroath Sheriff Court.
Sheriff Derek Pyle told Darren Francis Leslie, “It’s appalling behaviour but I’m going to give you one last chance.”
Appearing from custody on Tuesday, Leslie, of Hayshead Road, Arbroath, admitted that on September 18, in Arbroath, while acting with another, he conducted himself in a disorderly manner, shouting and swearing and making inappropriate sexual comments towards a 76-year-old woman, and committed a breach of the peace. He further admitted breaching a community service order.
Depute fiscal Arlene Shaw said the woman was in her front garden when she heard Leslie and his friend shouting comments at her.
She ignored them and carried on working in the garden but the pair continued to make inappropriate sexual comments towards her. The woman had had enough and said she would phone police.
“She heard them say, ‘Go phone the police. Leave your door open and we will come and rob you,’ ” the depute fiscal added. “At this point she was fairly alarmed and contacted the police.”
Defence agent Angela McLardy said Leslie had been under the influence of alcohol.
“He is very much ashamed and embarrassed by his behaviour. It came as some shock to him that he alarmed an elderly woman in this manner.”
Ms McLardy said her client had realised his behaviour was due to excessive alcohol consumption and he had been taking steps to address this.
“He has stopped consuming alcohol to the extent that led him to this place,” she said. “He is in a new relationship and his partner will not tolerate any unacceptable behaviour and he will lose the relationship if he continues to behave in the way that has led him to be here today.
“The period on remand has made him realise what he has to lose.”
Sheriff Pyle said he would give Leslie one more chance and spared him jail, warning that if he stepped out of line “you are going to jail for the maximum that I can possibly give you.”
The sheriff placed Leslie on a high tariff structured deferred sentence. He will appear again on August 2.
He called for supplementary reports to be prepared for then and also revoked the previous community service order and imposed a new one of 130 hours.