Falkirk court hears how offender sexually assaulted girl (15)

Frederick Houston (57) appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at an address in the Falkirk area on March 15 last year.

The charge stated Houston placed his hand under the girl’s clothing and touched the strap of her bra before rubbing her back.

It was stated Houston’s offence had caused “distress and upset” and left the girl shaken.

The court heard Houston was a first offender and did not want to put the girl through more stress, so had pleaded guilty to the charge against him.

Houstons defence solicitor said: “He didn’t intend any harm to the girl. He comes from a background of a difficult childhood where he was the victim of a sexual offence himself.”

The court heard Houston was no longer living in the area and was working as a driver in London.

Sheriff Derek Livingston said: “In my view you richly deserve a custodial sentence today.”

He placed Houston, 5 Acacia Avenue, Brentford, on a supervised community payback order for two years with the condition he complete 300 hours of unpaid work within 12 months.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for five years and made subject to a non-harassment order not to enter the street where he committed the offence or contact with the victim in the case for the next two years.

Houston's case and court orders were transferred to London.