Gold Coast ‘groper’ charged with sexual assault

A man who was caught on camera allegedly groping a stranger has been charged with two counts of sexual assault – but one was for allegedly groping another female jogger a year ago. 

The 40-year-old Gold Coast man was arrested by police on Tuesday, accused of repeatedly grabbing 24-year-old Jesse Ratu’s backside as she unlocked the door to her Southport apartment on Sunday morning.

In the previous incident the man allegedly groped another woman in nearby Hollywell on January 17, 2017.

 

A 40-year-old Gold Coast man has been charged with two counts of sexual assault after he allegedly groped 24-year-old Jesse Ratu’s backside outside her home 

Ms Ratu (pictured) was returning to her apartment in Southport, on the Gold Coast, about 7.30am on Sunday

Ms Ratu (pictured) was returning to her apartment in Southport, on the Gold Coast, about 7.30am on Sunday

His arrest came almost exactly one year after he allegedly groped another female jogger in nearby Hollywell on January 17, 2017.

His arrest came almost exactly one year after he allegedly groped another female jogger in nearby Hollywell on January 17, 2017.

The man is due to appear in the Southport Magistrates Court on February 6.

Charges were laid after CCTV footage emerged on Monday showing Ms Ratu being approached by a man from behind before allegedly being grabbed on her backside five-times.     

The man was then seen smiling into cameras after performing the alleged ‘disgusting’ assault. 

‘He said: “Sorry, I just had to do it, you have the best a***”,’ the mother-of-two told Nine News.  

The terrified woman allegedly told the man ‘don’t f***ing touch me’ before running inside and telling her partner Brendan Wilson what happened.

The sales assistant said despite Mr Wilson running outside to confront the man, the offender had already fled the area. 

Charges were laid after CCTV footage (pictured) emerged on Monday, showing Ms Ratu being approached by a man from behind

Charges were laid after CCTV footage (pictured) emerged on Monday, showing Ms Ratu being approached by a man from behind

'He said: "Sorry, I just had to do it, you have the best a***",' the mother-of-two (pictured) said  

‘He said: “Sorry, I just had to do it, you have the best a***”,’ the mother-of-two (pictured) said  

The terrified woman allegedly told the man 'don't f***ing touch me' before running inside and telling her partner Brendan Wilson what happened

The terrified woman allegedly told the man ‘don’t f***ing touch me’ before running inside and telling her partner Brendan Wilson what happened

Ms Ratu remembered feeling too scared to turn back out of fear she would be picked up and ‘stolen’, and said she now felt too traumatised to walk outside alone.

‘We’ve only been here for six months,’ Ms Ratu said.

‘We’re now thinking about moving. I’ve always lived in Southport but never lived down this end.’  

An image of the man, who is described to be of African descent, about 1.8m with facial hair and short black hair, was sent out by police in the area. 

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