Man touched woman sexually - then punched her partner when he was confronted

Landscape gardener Adam Brown, 23, circled the woman several times before the assault, the court heard.

Brown, of Dorset Avenue, Hebburn, slid his hand into her trousers and began to touch her, forcing his shocked victim to reel away in distress, a hearing was told.

Moments later, bearded Brown bashed her boyfriend in the face after being accused of the crime.

He denied the sex attack but was convicted at trial – and continues to maintain his innocence, his solicitor insisted.

But he has now been placed on the Sex Offender Register for five years after District Judge Kathryn Meek told him it had been a “deliberate act”.

Sentencing him at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, she said his actions had been a “real violation” of the woman, adding: “I’m very concerned about risk in the future.

“This is a sexual offence and violates her privacy in a very significant way. It was a real violation of her privacy, it was a real violation of her sexuality.”

Prosecutor Grace Taylor said Brown moved towards the woman several times and backed away before committing the attack.

Ms Taylor described the incident to the court hearing.

“The defendant walked towards her and stood next to her,” she said.

“She then felt his hand in the left side front pocket of her trousers.”

Ms Taylor said he then touched her sexually, and she pulled away.

“She asked him what he was doing, and he walked away,” said Ms Taylor.

“She told her partner what he had done, and he has challenged the defendant, who said, ‘What are you on about?’

“The complainant’s partner has walked away, and the defendant has swung a fist and hit him in the face but there were no injuries.”

In a victim statement read to the court, the woman said she had been left “devastated” by the incident.

A report by the Probation Service into his offending described him as “high risk” of future sex offending.

Kevin Smallcombe, defending, assured the court it was not the case his client was an ‘entrenched’ offender.

He said: “The nature of the offence, it was very brief and done without forethought or otherwise.

He added: “It was brief touching over clothes, in a pocket. He denies that.

“There isn’t an entrenched pattern of behaviour. The offending, it’s not extensive.”

Brown had pleaded guilty to assault by beating against the man at a previous hearing.

Judge Meek also made Brown subject to a three-year community order under which he must complete 45 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service.

The judge also ordered that he must also abide by an eight-week electronically monitored curfew of 7pm to 6am, or 10am to 6am on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Brown must pay compensation of £500 to the woman £75 to her partner and court costs of £200.

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