A person has been jailed for 18 months for an "unprovoked and disgraceful" intercourse assault on a younger mum as she walked her daughter house from nursery.
Hamilton Sheriff Court docket heard that John Welsh wrestled his sufferer to the bottom and ripped off her underwear earlier than working away.
A witness who went to assist the traumatised lady stated she was "screaming her head off".
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Welsh, 25, denied sexual assault in Blackmoss Drive and Mansfield Highway, Bellshill, however a jury returned a unanimous responsible verdict.
The girl informed the courtroom she was strolling along with her three-year-old daughter when she was grabbed from behind and fell to the bottom.
Her attacker put his hand up her skirt and she or he felt her pants being torn off.
The girl, aged 23 on the time, suffered bruising to her arm and a grazed hip through the assault in September 2020.
Welsh's DNA was discovered on her underwear.
One witness stated he noticed a person performing surprisingly exterior a martial arts centre and watched him observe the identical path as the lady had taken along with her baby.
The person seemed like Welsh, based on the witness.
Welsh was seen on CCTV leaving a flat in close by Liberty Highway and returning to it shortly after the assault.
Welsh, of Pickerstonhill, Newarthill, claimed he was the sufferer of mistaken identification.
He did not know the lady and could not clarify the presence of his DNA on her underwear.
After the decision in June sentence was deferred for background stories.
When Welsh returned to courtroom this week, defence agent Ian Scott stated he maintains that he's harmless.
Urging Sheriff Martin Jones to not jail him, the solicitor said: "He has a reasonably minimal report - solely two minor highway site visitors issues - and stories say he's not at excessive danger of re-offending.
"His companion is within the later levels of being pregnant and is standing by him. She and his mom are in courtroom at the moment. He comes from a supportive household.
"My consumer accepts that it is a vital offence that can have had a big affect on the sufferer.
"Nonetheless, there's a full vary of alternate options to custody obtainable."
Passing sentence, Sheriff Jones informed Welsh: "This lady didn't know you and your assault got here out of the blue.
"It is aggravated as a result of your behaviour was violent and within the presence of a younger baby, leading to misery for baby and mom.
"It was an unprovoked and disgraceful sexual assault.
"Your continued denial within the face of what can solely be described as overwhelming proof of your guilt is worrying."
In addition to jaling Welsh, the Sheriff put him on the intercourse offenders' register for 10 years.
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