A man who made ’vile’ sexual remarks to a shocked neighbour has been spared a prison sentence.
Coll MacKenzie admitted the offence, committed between December 1 and December 31 2020, when he appeared before a sitting of Campbeltown Sheriff Court at the start of February.
He pleaded guilty to intentionally, and for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification or humiliating, distressing or alarming the woman, by making sexually explicit remarks to her.
At the earlier hearing, the procurator fiscal Anne Marie Hicks explained how the incident had happened while MacKenzie was living in Campbeltown.
She added: “The accused was a neighbour of the victim. He moved into the building and introduced himself to the complainer.”
The fiscal told how just 15 minutes later, he phoned and suggested they go out together.
Ms Hicks added: "She made it very clear that was not going to happen and ended the call."
The court was told the woman was distressed by a subsequent lewd remark, which we have chosen not to publish, made by MacKenzie.
Ordering a delve into his background, Sheriff Euan Cameron told MacKenzie: “It was disgusting what you said to the complainer on the phone."
The case called again at this week’s sitting of the court. After reading the reports, Sheriff Cameron placed MacKenzie on a three-year community payback order, which includes 135 hours of unpaid work.
He will be supervised throughout the 36-month period and must attend appointments to work on his rehabilitation, including the Moving Forward Making Changes programme, which provides treatment for men who have committed sexual offences.
MacKenzie, whose address was given as a hotel in Langbank, was also placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register and is subject to strict controls covering his use of internet-enabled devices. He is also obliged to tell police about where he lives and with whom.
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