Joker who slapped woman on rear at Camelon railway station not laughing now

James McLeod, 22, clearly thought he was being funny for his friends when he did the deed, but it was viewed as an attack by the woman who then quite rightly informed the police about the incident, despite McLeod trying to apologise for his stupid actions.

Appearing at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday, McLeod admitted the assault – slapping the woman on her buttocks – he committed at Camelon Railway Station on August 22 last year.

Bernadette Cuthbertson, procurator fiscal depute, said McLeod and his friends were making a nuisance of themselves when the woman arrived.

She added: “The accused and others were on the stairs at Camelon Railway Station platform 2 at 7pm. There was some general anti-social behaviour going on.

"The witness felt something make contact with her and a stinging sensation on her buttocks. She saw the accused running away. During the train journey he tried to apologise for this but police were called.”

Defence solicitor Michael Lowrie said: “He thought he was having a carry on and struck her to the amusement of those watching – but it clearly wasn’t to the amusement of the woman.”

Sheriff Christopher Shead placed McLeod, 245 Ashley Terrace, Alloa, on a supervised community payback order for 18 months and made him subject to a restriction of liberty order, meaning he must remain in his home from 7pm to 7am for the next five months.