Married Inverness man's 'obscene' comments to teenager on board evening train
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A 14-year-old girl was subjected to vulgar and upsetting remarks by a drunk man on a train journey from Perth to Kingussie.
Inverness Sheriff Court was told that married man Liam Curry (28) of Milton Crescent, Inverness, had boarded the evening train on December 9, 2022 with another man.
The pair sat adjacent to the teenager.
Fiscal depute Karen Poke told the court: "He was drunk and slurring his speech and made attempts to engage with the 14 year old and other passengers.
"She tried to be polite but he made her feel uncomfortable. They were drinking Buckfast and the conductor came and told them they couldn't consume alcohol on the train.
"But when he left they continued to drink and he spoke to the teenager again. She tried to ignore him and then he made rude and obscene comments to her.
"One of the other passengers got up to check if the girl was OK and another passenger was also concerned about her being distressed.
"It went on for some time and when he (Curry) went to the toilet, the passenger spoke to his friend and said that he (Curry) had to stop. But when he came back he continued."
Ms Poke told the sheriff that Curry, who admitted threatening or abusive behaviour, was making comments about his genitalia and calling the teenager "sexy."
She said: "The train stopped at Kingussie and the girl got out and ran crying to her father."
Sheriff Ellidh Macdonald deferred sentence until November 28 without hearing from defence solicitor John MacColl.
She told Curry: "This is unacceptable behaviour towards a young child on a train which made her feel threatened and vulnerable with other passengers having to get involved."
