A COWDENBEATH man sexually assaulted a female customer by sticking his hand down her jeans and underwear and touching her on the bottom.

And when the shocked woman, a regular visitor, said she was married, Mark Beveridge replied, “Well, I’m not.” At Dunfermline Sheriff Court last Wednesday, Beveridge, of Rae Street, admitted 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 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, confirming Sheriff Charles Macnair’s query if there had been “skin-to-skin contact”.

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”.

Mr Hunter said, “There had been a history of the complainer coming into the shop and they have got on and are on friendly terms.

“He simply misread the situation of what he could and could not do with her. He is remorseful and quite ashamed of his behaviour.” He continued, “He effectively was in denial when he was with the social worker.” Sheriff Charles Macnair raised concerns about Beveridge’s denials, saying, “If he can lie to the social worker, then the social work report is completely useless.

“His narrative, which is the only one the social worker has had to hear, is that it was over her clothing, which doesn’t quite match with the narrative.” Deferring sentence until 26th August for further reports, Sheriff Macnair said he would also need to consider whether a sexual offences protection order was required.

Sheriff Macnair added, “It’s very concerning that someone who’s supposed to engage with the public has behaved in this manner, so an order will be required.”