A 49-year-old Inverness man who terrified two women by following them and then lifted the skirt of one will be sentenced next month.
Alan Mitchell was also placed on the Sex Offender’s Register by Sheriff Gary Aitken who deferred sentence until July 25 for a background report.
Mitchell, of Benula Road, admitted at Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday behaving in a threatening or abusive manner towards the two women, one a 34-year-old and the other 58.
>> Keep up to date with the latest news with The P&J newsletter
The older woman was followed by Mitchell down a dark street from Morrison’s supermarket towards the railway station on the night of January 18 this year.
He caught up with her, touched her coat and then lifted her skirt.
Then, the court was told, he mumbled: “That was nice.”
The incident occurred just two months after Mitchell followed another young woman into the Rose Street Car Park, and watched her walk towards her car, before knocking on the window, asking to talk to her,
The motorist was so disturbed, she drove away and reported it to police.
Both incidents were filmed on CCTV and the footage was shown to Sheriff Aitken, who decided to place Mitchell immediately on the Sex Offender’s Register because of “the significant sexual element of the second charge”.
He also placed Mitchell on bail with special conditions not to enter Rose Street car Park, approach or contact his two victims, and to remain in his home address between 7pm and 7am seven days a week.
Fiscal depute Niall Macdonald told the court that the woman in the car park felt “really uncomfortable” as she sensed Mitchell walking behind her.
“She got in her car and in a panic, she tried to lock the doors but couldn’t. When he knocked on the window, she swore at him and told him to leave. As a result she feels very wary in car parks now.”
He added that she also gets upset when she hears sounds that are similar to the knocking on her car window.
Mr Macdonald added that the second victim was also traumatised by the incident.
“She was totally shocked and scared by what happened. The fear hit her when she got home as she pondered the ‘what ifs’. She wouldn’t go out in the dark and has only started walking on her own after the clocks changed.”
