[A] Carlisle man admitted he was “too drunk” to recall a sexual assault in December last year.
William Pinkerton, 43, pleaded guilty to a sexual assault charge when he appeared at the magistrates court in the city earlier this month.
The court was told how the female child was “groped” at a social gathering leaving her frozen and in a state of shock, Pinkerton committed the offence after ensuring he sat near to the girl he targeted at the gathering, in which his wife also attended.
A witness at the gathering made a statement which said, the girl appeared frozen as Pinkerton began touching her inappropriately and without her consent.
Pinkerton of Chertsey Mount, Carlisle, admitted he had no recollection, but accepted he was not in a position to refute the accounts of what happened given by other people, when asked in court if he recalled anything of the incident he replied “nothing really other than the fact that this in not something that’s in my character, it shows how far my drinking had gone my drinking was excessive.”
Pinkerton went on to say he has tried to address this, “I’m absolutely horrified” he said he had sought counselling and help from his GP, he had abstained successfully for eight or nine months, but leading up to the assault his drinking had crept back.
After reading background reports on Pinkerton Deputy District Judge Vince Dade passed a sentence of 6-months in prison, he will serve half in prison half in the community, he has to pay a victims surcharge of £115.
His name was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.
