A man who cornered a terrified teenager on a Fife bus before making a series of lewd remarks has insisted he is ”not a deviant.”
Adam Fotheringham was dismayed to learn his name will be added to the sex offenders register following an appearance at Cupar Sheriff Court on Thursday.
On being sentenced, the 29 year-old shouted: ”You’re joking. I’ll no’ be able to speak to lassies any more.”
Fotheringham, of High Street, Newburgh, admitted that on March 14 on a Stagecoach bus travelling from Kirkcaldy to Cupar he made repeated sexual remarks to an 18-year-old girl, committing a breach of the peace.
Depute fiscal Brian Robertson said the girl’s desperate efforts to avoid a conversation were repeatedly ignored by the accused.
Fotheringham said the girl ”looked sexy with her glasses on” and went on to make a series of other increasingly lewd remarks.
”She tried to ignore him but was left in a state of alarm,” the depute fiscal said.
The complainer later contacted the police after discussing the matter with her sister.
Fotheringham told police he was ”just trying to have a laugh” with the girl.
The accused’s solicitor argued that his name should not be added to the sex offenders register, saying: ”He is not a deviant.”
He said Fotheringham had been going to Cupar to collect benefits and did not intend to cause any upset.
Sheriff Jack Brown placed Fotheringham on a community payback order, which includes carrying out 150 hours of unpaid work, and added his name to the sex offenders register for five years.