Tesco drunk fined £100 at Perth court

Feb 19 2010 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A DRINK-ADDLED businessman made lewd comments to a complete stranger in a Perth supermarket – after mistaking her for his partner.

John Harkness (42) indulged in a drinking session at the Fair City’s 208 pub before staggering into the nearby Tesco and aiming his slurred patter at a random shopper.

He had a secret rendezvous at the Crieff Road store – but mistook another woman for his date.

Perth Sheriff Court heard the innocent bystander was shopping at Tesco at around 7.30pm on November 6 when she approached the same checkout till as Harkness.

“She saw the accused who was noticeably under the influence of alcohol,” said depute fiscal Julie McAra.

“He stood quite close to the woman, who became quite intimidated by his behaviour, and attempted to initiate conversation with her.

“Due to the accused’s behaviour, a witness who was working on that till believed that they knew each other.”

Harkness was heard to say to the woman: “I suppose I’ll have to pay for our shopping.”

When his victim ignored him, Harkness repeatedly asked her: “Have you been behaving?”

Eventually she answered “Yes”, hoping that he would go away.

But the sozzled lothario followed up: “No you have not. I have been watching you. You have been flaunting yourself around the shop.”

He then said: “You are stunning. I am going to give you one.”

Ms McAra said that prompted the woman to tell the till operator she feared she might be followed.

With no sign of Harkness, staff escorted her to the store’s exit and she went home.

Later, she returned to the supermarket and reported the incident. Police traced Harkness three days later and he attended voluntarily at the force’s Perth headquarters.

Defence agent John McLaughlin said his client was “extremely embarrassed” by the incident, which he put down to a case of mistaken identity caused by heavy drinking.

“He thought the person he was speaking to was someone entirely different,” said the solicitor.

“The person serving at the checkout thought they knew each other because that is what Mr Harkness thought.

“He fully accepts this had a distressing effect on the lady he spoke to.”

Mr McLaughlin said Harkness’s date had phoned him after he had left the shop.

“She indicated she was in Tesco but not where he was,” said the agent.

“After that he realised his mistake.”

The incident was said to have damaged Harkess’s relationship with his long-term partner, prompting him to seek alcohol counselling.

Harkness, of Thriepland Wynd, admitted conducting himself in a disorderly manner, making comments of a sexual nature to a woman, following her to her vehicle, placing her in a state of fear and alarm and committing a breach of the peace.

Sheriff Michael Fletcher deferred sentence to March 11, when he will decide if Harkness’s name should be added to the Sex Offenders Register.