A 70-year-old man sexually assaulted a 15-year-old schoolgirl in Kelty and asked her if she liked it.

Robert Walker, now living in St Andrews, appeared at Dunfermline Sheriff Court for sentencing.

He admitted that on April 16 at his then home in Kelty he sexually assaulted the girl by touching her breast, putting his hand up her shirt, exposing her breasts. He also kissed and sucked her breasts.

Depute fiscal Azrah Yousaf said the 15-year-old girl had been at school earlier that day. Walker sat next to her and began a conversation. He reached over and stroked her thigh repeatedly with his hand.

He then asked her to lift her shirt up, sucked her breasts and asked her she liked it, added the depute.

Walker then went back to making dinner.

“The girl was shocked and went to have a bath. She called her brother on the phone and told him what had happened,” continued the depute.

A relative called the police and went to get her. Walker was told by the relative that the police had been contacted and not to go near the girl again.

Walker later told police it had been “a moment of madness” and “complete stupidity”.

Defence solicitor Kenneth Woodburn said his client was first time offender.

He went on: “He’s deeply ashamed of his actions.”

Sheriff Garry Sutherland said it was a “bizarre situation” for Walker to be a first offender at 70 for such a serious offence.

He added: “This was despicable behaviour and custody has been in the court’s mind.”

Instead, he imposed a community payback order with 100 hours of unpaid work and 12 months of supervision. Walker was also put on the sex offenders register.