A man has been jailed for groping a woman as she squatted to urinate in an alleyway, a court has heard.
Incident Details
The woman was approached by Clive Hamilton while she relieved herself on the ground near a Cash Converters shop in 2024. Hamilton, 65, had just left a club and saw the woman against a wall. He walked towards her and placed his hand on her exposed private area.
She told him to 'f*** off' and pushed him away, StokeonTrentLive reports. Nearby police officers saw what was happening and Hamilton was arrested.
Police Interview
In his police interview, Hamilton accepted he had approached the woman, who was not known to him. He said he touched her but in an effort to get her to stop and stand up, as the alleyway had a deeper meaning to him because a member of his wider family had died in a fire there.
The court heard the victim was left feeling anxious and vulnerable, and her confidence had been taken away.
Conviction and Sentencing
Hamilton, of no fixed address, was convicted of sexual assault following a trial at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court. He admitted a bail act offence.
Anis Ali, mitigating, said Hamilton now accepts the jury's verdict. Mr Ali added: "The reality of the situation was there was no evidence to support the contention that she was targeted. She knew where she was and she knew where she was going. The incident did not cause injury. It was not prolonged or sustained. The physical contact was slight. She did not feel anything but his hand was there."
"He recognises that you have very little option but to impose a custodial sentence. He has prepared himself for that. The event took place two years ago. The emotional impact on her life will have gradually decreased."
Judge Sally Hancox jailed Hamilton for 15 months and placed him on the Sex Offenders' Register for 10 years.
Judge Hancox said: "The victim was crouched against a wall and was urinating. While that may be seen as an unsavoury thing to do, she'd had quite a deal to drink. She had been refused entry back into the club so she could urinate and she could not wait any longer. If a woman finds herself caught short it is always something slightly more obvious than a man taking a moment to urinate in an alleyway, as men often do.
"You walked towards her as she was crouching. You placed your hand on her exposed private area. One of her hands was by her side, the other was holding her mobile. She was in communication with her brother. She told you to, 'f*** off', and pushed you away. Two police officers in a marked car saw what was happening in the alleyway and were concerned enough to go in the alleyway and see what was happening."
