A MAGUIRESBRIDGE man has been given probation for sexually assaulting a friend who feel asleep on his bed.
Jay Brown (27) of Gardiners Cross Road, Lisduff appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday on one count of sexual assault.
On April 9th this year Brown and the woman in question had been at his house, and had been drinking. They had both gone to his bedroom, where the woman feel asleep on the bed. Brown then put his hand under her top and touched her breasts and bottom.
The woman got up and left, and later confronted the defendant about what happened. She said he apologised at first, then backtracked and said it didn’t happen.
When arrested Brown denied the charge. He said he hadn’t known what he was apologising for.
Defence barrister Ciaran Roddy told the court Brown had been good friends with the woman at the time, and had misread a romantic interest from her that day. He said that was the context in which the offence had been committed.
District Judge Steven Keown noted Brown had been “intimidating” towards the woman since.
Mr Roddy said Brown denied this, and pointed out he had entered a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.
The barrister added vigilantes had targeted Brown since the incident, stated he had “already faced punishment of another sort.”
Judge Keown said he would have “no qualms” imposing a custodial sentence in this case, but noted Brown had accepted responsibility with his plea, which the court looked favourably upon. He sentenced him to two years probation.
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