A BARRHEAD man who indecently assaulted a woman on a camping trip has been jailed for 21 months.

Stewart Fleming, of Neilston Drive, was convicted of sexually abusing the woman, who is in her 20s but can’t be named for legal reasons, on July 6 and 7, 2013, at a campsite in Tarbet, Loch Lomond.

He continues to deny the offence.

Fleming, 28, was also accused of raping the woman at the campsite on July 7, 2013, but was cleared of that charge when the jury returned a not proven verdict.

The first offender was convicted of the indecent assaults after a four-day trial at the High Court in Glasgow and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register.

Judge Graeme Buchanan told Fleming: “You have been acquitted of the most serious charge of rape – the one that brought the case into the High Court.”

A risk assessment carried out on Fleming showed him to be at a moderate risk of re-offending.

Defence counsel Louise Arrol, Arroll urged the court to consider a non-custodial sentence, saying Fleming, who has learning difficulties, needed help. She added: “A community-based disposal would mean he could be supervised.

“He was cleared of the charge which brought this case to the High Court. He was convicted of offences which would be tried at the Sheriff Court.”

However, Judge Buchanan said that, in his view, only a custodial sentence was appropriate.