Helensburgh man jailed and listed on sex offender register for assaulting woman in pub

HELENSBURGH MAN JAILED AND LISTED ON SEX OFFENDER REGISTER FOR ASSAULTING WOMAN IN PUB

A disabled man who repeatedly slapped a woman's bottom has been placed on the sex offenders' register for six months.

David King's touched the woman inappropriately in a Helensburgh hotel, Dumbarton Sheriff Court heard.The wheelchair-bound 63-year-old, of West King Street, was a regular at the Imperial Hotel prior to the embarrassing episode.

However, his behaviour led to the local Pub Watch initiative to ban him from every pub in the town.The double amputee, who lost both legs as a result of cardiovascular disease, appeared in the dock last week after admitting the offence at an earlier hearing.He admitted sexually assaulting the woman on November 30 last year at the West Clyde Street establishment by repeatedly slapping her on the bottom.His defence agent told the court King was a regular in pubs around Helensburgh and would go drinking in the day and evening.

On the day in question he had consumed a "large quantity of alcohol" and "was talking to people and engaging in what he describes as banter".The lawyer acknowledged his client had touched the woman more than once, adding: "He accepts his behaviour was inappropriate and unwelcome." He told the court the ban from local pubs had left his client, who lives alone, feeling quite isolated and urged Sheriff Simon Pender to take into account his lack of previous convictions, arguing that King did not pose a high risk of re-offending.

Sheriff Pender placed King on the sex offenders' register and imposed a community payback order for a period of six months with a supervision requirement.