A COWDENBEATH man who sexually assaulted a female customer has been directed by a Sheriff not to work along with female customers alone, after an incident at a shop in the town.

Mark Beveridge (28), of Rae Street, received a community payback order with an 18-month supervision requirement. There was also an 18-month conduct requirement where he is not to work alone with female customers. He was given 225 hours of unpaid work to be completed within nine months and ordered to pay £400 compensation. He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 18 months. There will be a review on 2nd March 2016.

Beveridge admitted at a previous hearing, at Dunfermline Sheriff Court, that on 25th September 2014 at J&M Pet Supplies, he sexually assaulted the woman, in that he placed his hand under her clothing and touched her on her buttocks.

Fiscal depute, Ruaraidh Ferguson, said at that hearing that Beveridge had been working at the High Street shop, where he is a partner, and that the 27-year-old woman was a regular who was known to him.

Beveridge had approached her and put his hand under her jeans and underwear, touching her on the buttocks. Mr Ferguson narrated, “She felt very uncomfortable and informed the accused that she was married, to which he replied, ‘Well, I’m not.’ She physically removed his hand from her jeans and stepped backwards. She then left and contacted her husband immediately. Upon returning home, she immediately contacted the police.” Solicitor, Robert Hunter, said Beveridge, who lives with his partner and a child, had been in “denial” – telling a social worker he had placed his hand over the woman’s clothing – but had now accepted that the offence was “intentional”. And Mr Hunter added that the sexual offences protection order would be ‘grossly disproportionate’ to the offence.

But Sheriff Charles Macnair told DSC last Wednesday, in passing sentence on Beveridge, “I have to have regard for the protection of the public and in particular female customers who may attend your shop and are unaware of your previous behaviour.”