Kissing bus stop beggar up in court

AN aggressive elderly beggar accosted two women in separate incidents after blowing kisses at them while they waited at a bus stop.

Gheorghe Costoi, 73, appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday where his behaviour was branded as “absolutely outrageous” by a sheriff.

Costoi, a Romanian citizen who has been in Scotland for around two years, previously pleaded guilty to committing the offences in Lothian Road on August 4 and 7 last year.

Fiscal depute Alison Innes told Sheriff Donald Corke yesterday that the first victim tried to ignore Costoi before he lunged at her. Three days later, the second victim backed away after spotting Costoi blowing kisses at her, but he grabbed her between her legs.

Sheriff Corke deferred sentence for six months for Costoi to be of good behaviour.