Oliver Mason, 29, spotted the woman in sports gear as she made her way home from work on Shoreditch High Street, east London, on 31 March, before squeezing her bottom
A senior BT sales executive who groped a woman’s bottom on a boozy night out was today handed a community service order.
Oliver Mason, 29, spotted the woman dressed in sports gear as she made her way home from work on Shoreditch High Street, east London, on 31 March.
He and three friends blocked the woman’s path then Mason stepped back and made a grab for her bottom and gave it a squeeze, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard.
Judge Grace Amakye told Mason: ‘He’s very lucky that the complainant, irrespective of the horrible experience she had to endure had indicated in her victim impact statement that there has been no lasting damage.
‘But it was a most horrible experience for her, in front of other males while she was in sports gear just making her way home.
‘This is after a trial where the complainant had that strength of character to stand up to the loutish behaviour of having her bottom groped by a total stranger and having to recount that before a jury.
‘I am not going to massage it – there is no discount, he fought it, he took the risk and he was disbelieved, so we are where we are.
She told Mason: ‘I am of the view that this was disrespectful conduct on your behalf and it could only have been calculated to humiliate the victim.’
He and three friends blocked the woman’s path then Mason stepped back and made a grab for her bottom and gave it a squeeze, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard
The woman Mason groped immediately called 999 and the police were able to arrest him soon after the incident at around 8pm.
Following a one-day trial on 1 November, jurors deliberated for almost five hours before convicting Mason of sexual assault.
Mason, of Hitchin, Herts, denied but was convicted of sexual assault by touching.
He was ordered to serve 100 hours of unpaid work and £1,000 to the victim.