Fine for author's inappropriate comments to Thurso youngsters

An author's strange and inappropriate comments to three children she met by chance in Thurso resulted in her facing a criminal charge.

The court was told that there was some discussion between Barbara Branton and the kids in the town's Rotterdam Street on September 29, last year.

They noticed the 54-year-old was holding an item in her hand which turned out to be an old rusty sword she had found on a beach.

Fiscal David Barclay said that Branton appeared to be describing the sword to the children but the conversation took a strange turn when the accused began to refer to garage mechanics and builders' bums, "which caused the children alarm and concern".

The fiscal went on: "It was one of these situations where the prosecution might have been happy to accept that Branton regarded this as some sort of banter but the children didn't see it that way.

"She didn't really think it through and didn't appreciate that the comments might not be welcome and were bound to be misconstrued."

Fiona MacDonald explained that Branton had recently relocated to Caithness to continue a series of projects.

The solicitor added: "The children were not known to her and were minding their own business. With hindsight she accepts the comments were inappropriate."

Ms Branton's work was said to appear on various websites. The court heard she was staying at the Station Hotel, Princes Street, Thurso, but was expected to return south once the court case had been dealt with.

Sentencing Branton, Sheriff Ian Anderson said that in light of the explanation given to him, he didn't require to continue the case for a background report.

He fined Branton, who pleaded guilty to having made the inappropriate comments, £600.