1 day Ago By [email protected] (Sara Nichol)
A drunk pervert sexually assaulted a lone woman in the street after she stopped to ask if he was OK. Yohana Gebremichael, who was a stranger to the victim, lifted her shorts and grabbed both sides of her bottom before telling her "I love you, I love you". A court heard that the woman had been on a night out in Newcastle City Centre and was leaving a bar on Westgate Road when she encountered Gebremichael.
She asked if he was OK before he grabbed her waist and sexually assaulted her. The 29-yeat-old, of Inchberry Close, in Benwell , was arrested and pleaded guilty to sexual assault at a previous hearing at Newcastle Magistrates' Court but was back in the dock this week for sentence. Prosecutor, Paul Coulson, said the victim was leaving a bar just after midnight on October 26 this year when she was approached by Gebremichael.
Mr Coulson continued: "The defendant said something to her but she didn't hear properly. "She said to him "Pardon, are you OK"?". At this point, the defendant grabbed her by the waist from the side without her consent.
[The victim] was in a state of shock and didn't know what to do. Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from the North East with our free newsletter "She wanted him to get off her. It was at this point that the defendant lifted up her black shorts and squeezed both her bum cheeks.
He has touched her underneath her clothing and touched her skin." The court heard that the victim told Gebremichael to get away from her and told him "That's disgusting, you cannot do that to a woman". Passers-by came to the woman's aid and the police were called.
Gebremichael was arrested but made no comment in interview. In a statement, the victim said: "This incident makes me feel like I don't want to show any of my body anymore. Instead, just wear to wear joggers and a hoodie in the future.
He's made me feel angry and I can still feel his hands on me." Nick Kell, defending, said Gebremichael had no past convictions, was remorseful and realised his behaviour was unacceptable. Mr Kell continued: "He has never been in an intimate relationship.
"The author of the pre-sentence report expresses that, after consuming alcohol, which lowered his inhibitions, his actions could have been a very crude and highly inappropriate form of courtship." Giving Gebremichael an 18-month community order, with 250 hours of unpaid work, District Judge Paul Currer said: "This was an exceptionally unpleasant offence as you picked on a young woman walking through Newcastle City Centre late at night having spent the night socialising. "There was nothing about that young lady's behaviour which could have given you the impression that she was anything other than concerned about you because you spoke to her and yet, you have taken advantage of the situation and deliberately sexually assaulted her.
" Gebremichael must also pay the victim £300 in compensation and sign the Sex Offenders' Register for five years. ChronicleLive is now on WhatsApp and we want you to join our communities. We have a number of communities to join, so you can choose which one you want to be part of and we'll send you the latest news direct to your phone.
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