DESISLAV BRANIMOV IVANOV SENTENCED IN SHETLAND FOR DISTURBING SEXUAL ASSAULTS
A 25-year-old man, Desislav Branimov Ivanov, has been sentenced to 20 months in prison for a series of alarming sexual assault incidents, which included public touching of women's buttocks.Ivanov, whose address was listed as Grampian Prison but was previously recorded simply as Shetland's North Mainland, appeared at Lerwick Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
He previously pleaded guilty to eight charges of intentionally or recklessly sexually touching several women and a child between May and August this year.
Sentencing was deferred initially for background reports, but this week, the court heard details of the offenses from procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie.
Mr.
MacKenzie described Ivanov's conduct as indicative of an unusual sexual fetishism.
He stated, "Ivanov appeared to derive sexual gratification from surreptitiously touching unsuspecting women on the buttocks and from visually recording this contact on mobile phones." Police investigation revealed that on two mobile phones and a laptop belonging to Ivanov, over 7,000 videos related to the offenses were discovered, spanning three years.
The majority of these videos were taken abroad, outside the court’s jurisdiction, with only a few recorded in Shetland.
Mr.
MacKenzie emphasized, "Only a handful were taken in Shetland, and the rest were outside of the jurisdiction." The police's involvement began after a woman was assaulted twice at the Brae Co-op supermarket.
On August 7, Ivanov reportedly rubbed his hand across her buttocks.
Mr.
MacKenzie said, "There was a sense of disbelief, and when she reported the incident to her husband, she was visibly distressed." Later that month, at the same supermarket, Ivanov dropped his hat at the woman's feet, then crouched to retrieve it while pressing his face against her buttocks and filming himself.
Staff and a shopper heard her screams, prompting police to seize CCTV footage of both incidents.
It was noted that there was no evidence Ivanov was following the woman intentionally; her multiple visits to the supermarket appeared coincidental.
After his CCTV identification, Ivanov was detained and questioned, mostly denying the charges.
Police recovered two mobile phones and a laptop, initially finding 209 concerning videos.
Further investigation uncovered over 7,000 videos.
Eight charges were ultimately brought against Ivanov.
These included incidents involving a child aged 13 to 16, and another where he touched a woman on a bus.
Mr.
MacKenzie pointed out that Ivanov's behavior was a disturbing course of conduct, carried out without regard for the distress caused.
Defense lawyer Tommy Allan admitted that Ivanov's actions were "clearly very bizarre" and he had no explanation for his behavior.
Some contacts were fleeting, with victims unaware of the assault, but all caused some degree of distress.
The defense suggested that Ivanov may have a compulsive disorder, noting his previous psychological treatment for an amphetamine addiction.
As a form of punishment, Allan mentioned Ivanov's preference for deportation, considering his parents reside in Bulgaria, and highlighted that Ivanov had already served the equivalent of six months in custody.
Sheriff Philip Mann considered whether a custodial sentence was appropriate.
He noted that, in isolation, Ivanov’s offenses might not warrant imprisonment, but the total number of charges painted a disturbing picture.
He stated, "When one considers that there are eight charges in total, it paints a very disturbing picture of a course of offending that causes great distress and anxiety to those targeted." Ivanov was sentenced to two months in prison for each of the seven charges involving adult women, and an additional six months for the child-related charge, totaling 20 months.
His sentence will be backdated to his initial custody date in August.
The court also approved a Crown motion to forfeit the two mobile phones and the laptop.
Regarding Ivanov’s wish to be deported, Sheriff Mann clarified that this matter fell under the jurisdiction of the Home Office.
