A youth worker sexually assaulted a 15-year-old schoolgirl and two young women.

Paul Gillespie, 23, of Largs, carried out the offences after offering his victims lifts, sometimes in a company vehicle.

He was sentenced to 300 hours of unpaid work at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Thursday.

Gillespie was also banned from unsupervised contact with any young person under the age of 17 for two years and placed on the sex offenders register for the same time.

When he was convicted in November, the court heard from a sobbing witness how he asked her to remove her top and bra before using a stethoscope on her, claiming he was carrying out health checks.

One victim told the court he carried out some of the abuse the day after her father died.

Sheriff Michael Hanlon told Gillespie he was concerned about a lack of real remorse shown for his actions but was taking into account his age and lack of any previous criminal record.

Gillespie left his post with North Ayrshire Council last year and the authority said it had reviewed procedures in light of the case.

He had previously been named the council's exceptional employee of the year.