TOMAS BARTNYKAS SENTENCED IN PETERHEAD FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT WITHOUT INCARCERATION

A man involved in a sexual assault case in Peterhead has avoided jail time. Tomas Bartnykas, aged 40, was convicted last month at Peterhead Sheriff Court of sexually assaulting a woman in Viva’s Bar and Nightclub in 2022. The woman, who was waiting to be served, was sexually assaulted when Bartnykas reached under her dress and penetrated her with his fingers. The jury reached a verdict in less than two hours. Although Bartnykas did not testify, the victim recounted her experience, saying, “I just froze. I was trying to push them off me. It all happened really fast after that.” She also expressed regret about not speaking out sooner, stating, “If something else happened to someone else, I would never forgive myself. My friends encouraged me to come forward.” During cross-examination, she denied any suggestion that she consented, emphasizing, “There was never anything that would suggest that was okay for him to do. I never ever said you could touch me.” Initially warned in March that custody might be considered, the court decided this month on a non-custodial sentence. Sheriff Craig Findlater ordered Bartnykas to perform 300 hours of unpaid work within a year, be supervised by social services for 24 months, and adhere to notification requirements for the same period. This decision represented an alternative to imprisonment, reflecting the court’s discretion despite the seriousness of the offense.