9:03am Friday 3rd September 2010
By Stuart Arnold
A DRUNK man sexually assaulted a young woman on a bus on her way to work.
Aaron Jefferies ran his hand up and down the woman’s thigh and also kissed her against her wishes while she was sitting on the early morning bus travelling between Durham and Darlington, on June 23 this year.
Teesside Crown Court heard how the 20-year-old was frozen with fear throughout the 40-minute ordeal, during which she was effectively trapped against a window by Jefferies.
Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said the defendant got on the bus in Ferryhill, County Durham, and, despite a number of empty seats, sat next to the victim, who had been listening to her iPod.
Jefferies, 28, of Bertha Street, Ferryhill, proceeded to remove the woman’s earpiece and place it in his own ear.
He then put his arm around her and pulled her close, kissing her and touching her face.
Mr Dodds said the woman tried to push him away, but Jefferies continued, stroking her arm and leg and running his hand up and down her thigh towards her groin area.
Eventually, the woman got off the bus in Northgate, Darlington.
She told police she was nearly sick because she was so terrified.
The woman reported the incident when she reached her workplace and the police were called. They arrested Jefferies – ironically at Newton Aycliffe police station – after he told his victim he was on his way there.
Jefferies admitted sexual assault and charges of shoplifting and possessing a bladed article in a public place on August 15. He told police he had been on a drinking binge for several days before the sexual assault, also labelling himself as a “friendly drunk” and a “bit of a ladies man”.
Scott Smith, mitigating, said Jefferies had used drugs in the past and had started to address the issues which led him to drink during a 17-day spell in custody.
Judge Howard Crowson said: “She [the victim] spent 40 minutes on that journey with you imposing yourself on her in a manner that caused her great fear.”
He jailed Jefferies for six months, two weeks.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/trade_directory/