A MAN was ordered to pay £3,000 yesterday after being convicted of assaulting a woman in broad daylight.

David Peacock, 29, was found guilty at Durham Crown Court of indecently assaulting a 26-year-old post-graduate student on a footbridge in Durham City in October 2002.

Self-employed steel erector Peacock, of Broomhill, Stanley, denied the charge and a jury failed to reach a verdict at his original trial in June.

A re-trial was staged this week at the court, which required the victim's boyfriend, a graduate of Durham University, flying from Moscow, in Russia, to give evidence.

Judge Michael Cartlidge said that while Peacock could not be totally blamed for the need for a re-trial, there was no reason why he could not pay towards the costs of the case, which were £3,600, including flying the witness from Russia.

Peacock was ordered to pay £2,400 costs, plus £600 compensation to his victim, at a rate of £300 a month, and was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

The court heard that he approached the woman, touched her through her clothing and hugged her.

She turned round to confront him, only to see his two friends cheering his actions, as if he had completed "a dare".

Peacock was identified after city centre security camera footage of him later walking to a taxi rank was featured on a Crimestoppers TV bulletin.

He was then picked out by the victim from an identity parade a year after the incident.

Judge Cartlidge said the victim deserved some recompense.

"It must be thoroughly unpleasant, having a perfectly pleasant view of Durham's lovely river disturbed by some oaf coming up and committing an act like this, and then thinking it's funny. It is, actually, very, very unfunny."