A ‘BOORISH and obnoxious’ Rugby man who touched a woman indecently and assaulted a teenage girl after becoming drunk at a friend’s wedding has narrowly escaped being jailed.
Karl Palmer had originally denied charges of sexual assault and assault by beating, but later changed his pleas to guilty at a pre-trial hearing at Warwick crown Court.
Palmer, 39, who is from Rugby but of no fixed address, was sentenced to 14 months in prison suspended for two years and ordered to take part in a rehabilitation activity.
Judge Anthony Potter also ordered him to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, to register as a sex offender for ten years, and to pay £300 costs.
Prosecutor Raj Punia said that in August last year Palmer went to a friend’s wedding, but during the reception he was drinking heavily and began ‘mouthing off’ and annoying people.
Later, after the reception had ended, he came up behind a woman who was sitting on a step having a cigarette, and put his foot under her bottom and began ‘wriggling it in a sexual way.’
When she got up to go inside, he sat down, blocking her way, and as she tried to step over him, he reached up with his hand and touched her between the legs over her clothing.
She responded by demanding: “Who do you think you are?”
And a 17-year-old girl who had seen what happened made a comment, at which Palmer headbutted her, alleged Miss Punia.
Graeme Simpson, defending, said Palmer had not actually headbutted the girl, but had put his head to hers and pushed her with his forehead.
Sentencing Palmer, Judge Potter told him: “You were boorish and obnoxious, a disgrace to anyone who’s a human being.
“The way you treated other human beings that day is beyond belief, and the fact that you did that at your friend’s wedding beggars belief.
“The only factors that have led me to conclude that I can suspend the sentence are your guilty pleas.”
