Prestonpans grandmother assaulted a paedophile and spat in his face in Home Bargains


A pensioner from Prestonpans assaulted a convicted paedophile who she claims molested a young family member.
Sheila Hamilton exploded in anger at Barry Sammon after bumping into the sex offender while out shopping in nearby Musselburgh.
Hamilton, 65, shouted and swore at the man within the Home Bargains store in Musselburgh, East Lothian, branding him “a paedophile” and “a dirty bastard”.
Sammon moved away from the situation but was soon confronted again by the irate OAP who then spat in the sex offender’s face before being dragged away by a family member.
Police were called in to deal with the disturbance and Hamilton, of Prestonpans, East Lothian, was subsequently arrested and charged following the incident in February this year.
The pensioner appeared in the dock at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (11 December) where she was handed a fine of £100.
Sheriff John Cook said: “Clearly you shouldn’t have done what you did but matters such as this do evoke high emotions.
“You did cause a disturbance in the shop, but as you are 65 and have no previous convictions I propose to impose a financial penalty.”
Fiscal depute Jo Dunn said Hamilton was shopping with a family member at the store at around 5.40pm on February 11 this year when she and Sammon met.
Ms Dunn said: “The witness Sammon was within Home Bargains when he overheard the accused stating to a staff member “Do you know that there is a paedophile in your shop?”
“She said to him “You are a paedophile – you are a dirty bastard”.
“Mr Sammon moved away but was again approached by the accused who shouted “You are a f***ing bastard touching a ten-year-old and a 14-year-old”.
“She then spat on the right side of his face before being dragged away by her daughter.”
Solicitor Cameron Tait, defending, said his client was disabled and has no previous convictions.
Mr Tait added the assault was “completely out of character” for Hamilton and that she said one of Sammon’s victims had been a family member of the woman.
He added: “She was out shopping that day and lost her temper.
“But if she was to see this man again she will walk the other way.”
Hamilton admitted to behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting, swearing, acting in aggressive manner and uttering abusive remarks at Home Bargains, Musselburgh, on February 11 this year.
The pensioner also pleaded guilty to assaulting Barry Sammon by spitting on his head during the same incident.
Barry Sammon was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl and an adult woman following a trial at Haddington Sheriff Court in March 2013.
Sammon was placed on the sex offenders register for three years.
March 2013
Pervert sexually assaulted 12-year-old girl
A pervert who sexually assaulted a terrified 12-year-old girl was spared jail.
Barry Sammon from Tranent forced himself on the girl by putting his hands on her bare breasts and moving his body against hers in a sexual manner.
He was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a second female who was 24-years-old.
Sammon showed no remorse for his offending and was given a sexual harm prevention order and told that he must register as a sex offender.