A hotel chef who assaulted a woman in Kelso Square has been fined £380 at Jedburgh Sheriff Court.
Forty-five-year-old Scott Swift had been drinking outside his former place of work at the Cross Keys Hotel on the night of June 5 when the incident happened.
He pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman by pushing her on the body causing her to fall backwards onto a chair and her knee.Swift of Prior's Court, Kelso, had gone to trial on the assault charge and also sexually assaulting the woman.
It was part heard and when the case came back to court he pleaded guilty to assaulting her but the not guilty plea to the sexual assault by touching her inner thigh and repeatedly touching her vagina over her clothing was accepted by the Crown.
Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said his client had been drinking and had no recollection of the incident.
He accepted alcohol consumption was not an excuse but it was the reason why he could not remember the incident.Mr Hulme said his client changed his plea during the trial as three witnesses had spoken of the assault.
But he pointed out the significant part of the case - the alleged sexual assault - was no longer there as the Crown had accepted his not guilty plea.
In addition to the fine, Swift was ordered to pay a £20 Victim Surcharge.