Description
A man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl in a hot tub is facing jail.
William Tierney, 52, seized hold of the 17-year-old in the garden of a property in Blantyre, Lanarkshire.
She repeatedly told him to let her go but he then subjected her to a sickening attack under the water. The terrified victim fled the scene and later confided to her mum what had happened.
This led to a confrontation with dad-of-four Tierney before police were called in. Tierney, of Blantyre, denied any wrongdoing and went on trial at Hamilton Sheriff Court.
Jurors took less than an hour to convict him of the sexual assault in July last year. Giving tearful evidence to depute fiscal Scott O'Connor, the girl's mum told how her daughter, now 18, had been left traumatised by Tierney.
The 55-year-old said: "She was so scared and I asked her what was wrong.
"She was hysterical, crying uncontrollably and she was shaking and she told me Mr Tierney had assaulted her. What kind of a human being does that to a 17-year-old girl?
"I was numb and I was so upset and couldn't believe it had happened to her because she is my baby and I couldn't do anything to protect her."
Giving evidence, Tierney repeatedly denied assaulting the teenager and claimed they had been having a water fight in the hot tub.
He said: "I just lifted her up and was trying to find the bench bit of the hot tub where you sit to put my hand on.
"I thought she had left the hot tub because there was too much splashing, I had been a wee bit rough and was splashing the water constantly at her."
Sheriff Liam Murphy deferred sentence on the first offender until next month and continued bail. He added; "You have been found guilty of a serious sexual offence.
"You should be aware that all sentencing options will be open to the court including a custodial sentence given the nature of the offence."
Tierney was placed on the sex offenders' register.