Ski Instructor Pleads Guilty to Sexually Assaulting Woman in St Andrews

A 21-year-old male ski instructor has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman at St Mary’s Place in St Andrews, Dundee Sheriff Court has heard.

Fraser Baggaley, a ski instructor from Edinburgh, admitted to the offence on 9 October, 2024 at Dundee Sheriff Court after being seen by witnesses and filmed on CCTV “placing his hands inside [the woman’s] lower clothing while she was unable to consent,” The Courier reported, adding she could “barely stand or walk.” The victim’s identity has not been disclosed.

Baggaley works in Austria and is due to compete in a five-day championship in March. He has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register while awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty.

A safety officer at the St Andrews Student Union became concerned after seeing Baggaley carrying the woman outside of the establishment and attempted to check on her welfare. When confronted, Baggaley claimed he was worried about her, to which the officer replied: “If you were that concerned, you wouldn’t have put your hand down her pants.”

Baggaley is reported to have repeatedly tried to answer questions on her behalf, but the officer managed to speak to the woman directly before trying to assist her across the road.

The ski instructor’s behaviour then attracted the attention of two bouncers outside The Old Vic, who wanted to establish whether Baggaley and the victim knew each other. 

Prosecutor Ritchie said the security staff saw the woman facing away from Baggaley while “the accused had his hand down her trousers.” Baggaley was also seen propping the woman against a window, the Court heard.

One of the Vic’s security bouncers intervened to stop the incident after determining the woman was unable to consent. Baggaley was described as intoxicated, but less so than the victim.

According to The Courier, two women later shared a taxi with the victim, took her to her flat and placed her in the recovery position in bed.

Police were contacted after multiple witnesses raised concerns, and officers later found evidence that she had vomited in her bed.

Prosecutor Ritchie stated the woman had no memory of being outside, how she got home or what had happened to her. Officers carried out a welfare check days later, and she found she still could not recall the events.

Following his arrest, the man told police: “I don’t remember doing this, so I must have been equally intoxicated.”

Pleading guilty on indictment, he admitted to kissing the intoxicated woman and placing his hands inside her clothing while she was incapable of consenting. The Court heard the pair were known to each other but were not in a relationship. Defence counsel Iain McSporran KC said his client expressed “genuine remorse and, indeed, horror” at the offence and maintained he had no recollection of the incident. 

Sheriff Alastair Carmichael deferred sentencing until April for the preparation of a social work report.

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