December 2012 Pensioner placed on Sex Offenders Register for groping child in Helensburgh shop A pensioner who groped a child in a Helensburgh ice-cream parlour has been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and banned from approaching children. George Burnett, of Rosneath Drive, escaped jail after admitting sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl in Dino’s Radio Cafe on West Clyde Street by placing his hand on her behind and handling her buttocks. Dumbarton Sheriff Court previously heard that the 70-year-old, who has a similar previous conviction, approached the child as she was queuing to buy an ice-cream whilst her mother waited outside on July 19. Roddy Boag, defending, said: “The accused was under a degree of supervision. “A custodial sentence may not solve the issue which Mr Burnett may be creating for himself but above all for the public.” Sheriff Bill Dunlop sentenced him to a community payback order, requiring him to be under supervision for three years and do 120 hours of unpaid work. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years and a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, meaning he must not have any contact with children aged under 16.