Glasgow personal trainer avoids jail for sex attacks

A PERSONAL trainer who carried out sex assaults on two young singers after being hired to get their girl band in shape has walked free from court.
Shane Lawton was spared jail despite being found guilty. Picture: Mike Gibbons/SpindriftShane Lawton was spared jail despite being found guilty. Picture: Mike Gibbons/Spindrift
Shane Lawton was spared jail despite being found guilty. Picture: Mike Gibbons/Spindrift

A court heard that Shane Lawton humiliated his victims while apparently taking their measurements.

One recalled how she was left upset after Lawton ordered her to “strip down”.

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The former Royal Marine Queen’s Guard also groped a shocked mother as he gave her a massage at his gym.

Yesterday Lawton denied the assaults during a trial at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

He branded the girl band members “sex objects” and claimed he thought his other victim was up for “adult fun”.

But the 37-year-old was convicted of the three attacks and returned to the dock yesterday to be sentenced.

Sheriff Joan Kerr said the crimes merited prison, but added she had decided on a direct alternative to jail.

Lawton was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work as part of a two-year community payback order.

He will be also be supervised during that time and must take part in sex offender programmes.

Sheriff Kerr told him: “I am hopeful that you will change your attitude to these offences.”

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The incidents took place at the studio where Lawton was based in the city’s Jamaica Street between March and June 2013.

The girl group pair – who cannot be named for legal reasons – had gone to the ex-marine for help with a fitness regime.

One recalled after first going to see him that she was asked to take off her bra for the “measurements process”.

The 24-year-old told the trial: “He did ask me to roll up my top to almost my whole chest being out – I did feel awkward. I didn’t know what to say. I thought that was normal for measurements or just to see my body from a fitness purpose.”

Lawton also rolled down the woman’s leggings to her hips, adding to her feeling “uncomfortable”. She went back two days later and Lawton again claimed he had to measure her.

The woman recalled: “I felt too much of me was on show. He would make comments about how my body could look. He also commented on how large my chest was.”

Her bandmate – also aged 24 – later told the trial when she was sent to Lawton, he demanded she “strip down” to her bra and shorts.

Lawton claimed this was to size up and “see what needed to be worked on”. He went on to roll down her shorts, exposing part of her bottom.

Describing herself as “very petite”, the victim added: “You can see my frame perfectly well without moving any part of my clothing”.

The woman remembered being “embarrassed” by the experience.

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