Woman sexually assaulted in Thurso pub
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A man sexually assaulted a Halloween reveller in a pub as she sat with friends.
Michael Foubister (45) assaulted the 20-year-old as he sat next to her at a table in Thurso's Commercial Bar on October 29, 2022.
Wick Sheriff Court heard that the woman froze during the assault and sought help from another customer afterwards.
Foubister admitted the assault on indictment and will be sentenced on March 6.
Fiscal David Barclay said that Foubister's victim had initially gone to a birthday party in Wick, dressed as Tinkerbell as it was Halloween weekend.
At the Commercial Bar, with two friends, she met up with other revellers and sat at a table.
Mr Barclay said Foubister was next to her and assaulted her.
The fiscal said that a witness sitting opposite saw Foubister's hand move down towards the woman's leg but couldn't see anything further because of the position of the table.
Shortly after the incident Foubister left.
Mr Barclay said that after the assault the woman approached a former teacher at a nearby table.
He continued: "She complained that she had been bothered by the accused but did not expand further then."
The former teacher took the woman outside where she revealed what had gone on.
She was described as "very distressed", "shaky" and "crying".
She later reported the matter to the police.
She didn't know Foubister but identified him from CCTV images as having been in the bar at the time.
When interviewed by police officers on November 26 as a possible winess Foubister admitted: "Yes, it was me, I thought it was consensual".
However, when subsequently interviewed under caution, he replied "no comment" to questions put to him.
Sheriff Neil Wilson deferred sentence on Foubister, of The Yard, Hallum Road, Forss, until March 6 for a background report.
He was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register meantime.
