A property developer who sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl in a Dunfermline Wetherspoons on new year’s day has been told to pay the teenager £2,000.
Giedrius Ambrazevicius was previously found guilty by a jury of groping his victim near the main entrance door of the city’s High Street premises in the early hours of January 1 2022.
The 40-year-old from Lithuania, who was on a trip to Scotland with his family at the time, had denied the allegation and lodged a special defence of consent.
He appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court this week for sentencing.
Sheriff John MacRitchie fined Ambrazevicius £10,000 and ordered him to pay £2,000 in compensation to his victim.
He was also put on the Sex Offenders Register for five years.
Sheriff MacRitchie acknowledged the seriousness of the offence but highlighted Ambrazevicius’ lack of previous convictions and positive contribution to society by running a “successful company which supports others”.
He also pointed out a social work report had assessed Ambrazevicius as a low risk of future offending and recognised prison or doing unpaid work in Scotland could have “financial consequences” for his family, his business and those who rely on it.
The sheriff told him: “I have given you a chance today to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.
“Please ensure you take it.”
New year attack
Giving evidence by video link during the trial, the now 19-year-old victim said she was in the entrance area to Guildhall & Linen Exchange when stranger Ambrazevicius put his arm around her shoulder and said something she did not understand.
She said he pulled her closer to him and asked for her door number.
The woman said: “I was trying to pull away. I said ‘get off of me’.
“His hand was travelling down my back and started squeezing my bum.
“He was whispering in my ear… I’m sure he said ‘darling’ at one point.
“I was still trying to move away and he put his hand, still over my clothing, round the front.”
The woman said she was “terrified” and shouting for a friend, who was outside on High Street with others, making TikTok videos.
She said Ambrazevicius put his hand down the back of her shorts, then round to the front.
She said she was “disgusted, scared.”
She tried to pull away but said Ambrazevicius put his hand on her face and tried to pull her in to kiss her.
Asked by prosecutor Jamie Hilland if she had given any indication of consent, she replied: “No, I don’t know the man, I have never seen him before.”
Ambrazevicius told the trial he was on a two-day trip to Scotland and was staying at the hotel for new year celebrations with his wife, children and friends.
He accepted carrying out a sexual act but insisted it was consensual and happened spontaneously.
He was found guilty by majority verdict of sexual assault after a three-day trial.
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