Latest Offenders Bradford

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A Yorkshire woman says she has "lost track of the amount of times" she has cried when thinking about how she was raped, and suffers from nightmares years after it happened.

Last week, sick Vira Hussaini, 35, of Bradford, was jailed for four years at Leeds Crown Court after he raped a woman who was left with serious injuries in the terrifying attack in 2018.

Following the sentence, the woman told YorkshireLive she is now being supported by family and friends, but has suffered the effects of the attack since. She said: "He held me down by my wrists and raped me. He tore me, causing bleeding, which led me to seek support from the health sector. I was worried about the safety of other women and built up the courage to report him to the police in August 2019...

"We all thought he would have been given a longer sentence, however we are grateful that a level of justice has been served after many years suffering in silence."

In her victim impact statement, the woman told how she has "struggled tremendously" since the attack and said: "I feel that I have either no appetite, or spend time comfort eating. In relation to sexual health, I was worried about whether or not I had been passed a disease...Fortunately I was given the all clear."

The woman said she has since left work and has used her savings to pay for her mortgage and bills. She added: "I feel that my emotional wellbeing has been greatly affected, as I have lost track of the amount of times that I have cried when this incident has come into my thoughts. I have also suffered with graphic sexual abuse nightmares, to the point where a close friend has heard me screaming in my sleep. I must add that I have also felt panicked at times, like I am having heart palpitations."

In her statement, the woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - said she had to have photographs taken of her genetalia and said she felt she lost her dignity during this. She said: "I feel that I have no privacy left and I am embarrassed that so many strangers from the court process are now aware of my personal matters. Sadly, the stigma of rape will always remain with me and I have to learn to continue living with that...

"I feel that my social life has been greatly affected too, as I have become more insular over the past few years. This has been due to the fact that I no longer feel confident or safe, which has left me feeling socially isolated at times. I have seen a negative impact upon my loved ones too....I have seen close and treasured family members and friends cry when taking the time to support me."

The woman said she has accessed support, including counselling, reiki, group therapy and has also engaged with an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor since the attack. She said: "Overall, the past four-and-a-half years have been immensely stressful and taken up so much energy. It has also taken up a significant amount of time, when trying to work through this trauma.

"I makes me feel sad that he could have admitted what he did and shown both acceptance and remorse a long time ago. This would have allowed me to access justice and closure, but instead I have had to endure the criminal court process, in order to fight for justice to be served.

"It is hard to describe in full how I feel after the sexual violence that I was subject to, although I have tried my best to explain...Ultimately what I am really trying to say is, I have air in my lungs, but feel like I can't breathe. And I have a heart that works, but feels broken. I now plan to rebuild myself and not allow this man to destroy me any further."

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A judge has highlighted the bravery of a sexual abuse survivor who had to go through two trials before finally seeing her attacker jailed for eight years.

The woman, who must not be identified for legal reasons, read out a powerful victim personal statement during the sentencing hearing at Bradford Crown Court on Wednesday and described the profound effects of the crimes committed against her by sick Shahid Mehmood.

Mehmood, of Addison Avenue in Bradford, was found guilty after his second trial of causing or inciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity and five counts of sexual activity with a child. He was acquitted of one charge of sexual assault.

The woman told the court Mehmood’s offending had taken away her innocence as a child and she was still suffering flashbacks and nightmares of the abuse years later. She added: “I thought it was my fault and now I know that is completely false."

She said Mehmood had never accepted any responsibility and instead he had lied putting her through the added stress of having to come to court and relive the events.

Despite being found guilty of a catalogue of evil sex offences, Recorder Ben Nolan KC noted that Mehmood, 52, still maintained his innocence. He said Mehmood, who had no previous convictions, had been interviewed by police back in January 2019 and flatly denied the offences.

“Your denials have persisted to this day,” said the judge.

“It is now over four years since your arrest. There has been significant delay caused in part by the pandemic but in part caused by your own denials. The effect on (the complainant) has clearly been profound. She’s read her victim personal statement this morning very bravely and with great dignity.”

Recorder Nolan jailed Mehmood for eight years and also imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Mehmood, who will serve at least two thirds of his jail term, will have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life and he must comply with an indefinite restraining order.

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A dangerous offender from Bradford has been locked up for 22 years after he was found guilty of 22 offences including rape and threats to kill.

Dale Osborne, 43, was convicted by a jury on February 13 of nine rapes, six actual bodily harm offences, one attempted rape, one sexual assault, three threats to kill and two false imprisonments. The offences related to three victims and took place between 2002 and 2014.

Appearing before Bradford Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday (July 13), Osborne, of Deanwood Court, was jailed for 22 years. He must serve a minimum of two thirds of his sentence before he can be considered for release.

A further Dangerous Offender provision was also made which means he must remain on licence for a further seven years after the 22-year custodial period ends. Osborne was also issued with a lifetime restraining order preventing him from contacting his three victims directly or indirectly.

He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register. Detective Inspector Ian Cottrell of Bradford Safeguarding Team said: "Osborne is a danger to women and we welcome the significant sentence handed down to Osborne today.

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A Bradford taxi driver who drove an intoxicated woman home after a night out and raped her while she was almost unconscious on a sofa has been jailed for nine years.

Assad Khan, who had worked as a taxi driver for more than 20 years, used his victim’s bank card to steal £250 from her account instead of withdrawing the £25 for the fare when they stopped at a cashpoint in the early hours.

The judge at Bradford Crown Court said today that after taking the woman to her home Khan ‘barged’ his way in uninvited and while she was almost unconscious, he raped her.

After the attack last year, Khan used the woman’s key to lock the front door and then posted it back through the letterbox.

When she woke up, she felt disgusted but initially she was too embarrassed to tell anyone.

A few days later, Khan, 55, of John Street, Clayton, Bradford, turned up on her doorstep and tried to defend his actions, saying she could get him into trouble.

Recorder Ben Nolan KC said he had no doubt that Khan was trying to find out if she could remember what had happened and try to persuade her not to take any action citing his need to keep his job.

The woman reported the attack to the police and when Khan was arrested, he claimed she had consented.

A week before he was due to stand trial, Khan, who is married with four children, pleaded guilty to rape and theft.

In her victim impact statement, the woman labelled Khan ‘an utterly selfish and repugnant human being.’ His barrister, Michael Collins, said he had mental health difficulties that related to a tragic house fire when he was aged ten.

In a letter to the judge, Khan had expressed genuine remorse.

“He looks back with shame and misunderstanding at his own conduct,” Mr Collins said.

“He can’t help as to why he committed the offence.”

Recorder Nolan said that one consultant psychiatrist believed that Khan was feigning symptoms and exaggerating his behaviour.

He had shown ‘criminal guile’ in carrying out the offence and he had abused his position of trust as a taxi driver.

Khan will have to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life and he will also have to comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Recorder Nolan also imposed a lifelong restraining order which bans Khan from having any contact with the complainant.

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A disgraced former Yorkshire cub scout leader is back in prison again after he admitted indecently assaulting a young boy in the 1990s - but for only 30 months.

Former Ilkley man Peter Francis, now 68, was given a life sentence in 2002 for a raft of serious sexual offences against boys and girls and while still serving that sentence he was given a further five-year jail term in 2014 for abusing another boy.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday (July 3) that Francis actually served a total of 18 years behind bars and it was his impending release by the Parole Board in 2020 which prompted another victim to report the “dark secret” he had been carrying for years.

 Read more: Two people injured after pensioner crashes Skoda into man, house and car in Lindley 

Francis was actually released by the Parole Board on July 1, 2020, but he was arrested the next day and the inquiry into the latest allegations was started.

The court heard that Francis, of Grattan Road, Bradford, pleaded guilty in May to four charges of indecent assault on the complainant, who was a young boy in the early 1990s, and cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Francis was initially interviewed about the allegations in July 2020, but his solicitor advocate Julian White said he had no recollection of the specific offending.

Mr White submitted that because his client had been out of prison for the last three years and the risk he posed was being properly monitored the judge could take an exceptional course and suspend his prison sentence.

But Judge Colin Burn said it was important not to lose sight in an extremely complex sentencing exercise of the fact that there was a victim in the case who had suffered significant psychological harm on a long-term basis.

He said Francis would have been jailed for 40 months following a trial, but his guilty pleas meant that sentence could be reduced to 30 months.

In his victim impact statement the complainant described the abuse he suffered decades ago as horrific and said it had changed him forever.

He said he had been carrying a “dark secret” and Francis’ actions had not allowed him to fulfilled his potential.

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A MAN has been jailed for 20 months for a drunken sexual assault on a woman.

Sergejs Litvins claimed he ‘misread the situation’ after downing alcohol, Bradford Crown Court heard.

His victim suffered flashbacks after the attack and had lost her confidence.

Litvins, 27, of Thackeray Road, Idle, Bradford, pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

The court heard he had touched the woman indecently.

In his basis of plea, Litvins said that with hindsight he should have realised how the woman felt and he was truly sorry.

Barrister Abdul Shakoor, for Litvins, said: "He is bitterly remorseful for his conduct.

“He can’t understand why he behaved in the way that he did. It’s a complete aberration in his life.”

Litvins broke down in tears as Recorder Tahir Khan KC told him that an immediate custodial sentence had to be passed for such serious offending.

The judge accepted that Litvins was remorseful and that the offending was out of character but he said a consequence of the attack had been that the woman no longer felt safe.

“Given the serious impact of your offending on the complainant, I can only impose a sentence of immediate custody,” he told a distressed Litvins.

Litvins will have to register as a sex offender with the police for the next ten years.

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A man from Bradford who had more than 1700 indecent images of children on his computer has been sentenced to more than three years in jail.

Julian Barnes 50, of Haycliffe Terrace pleaded guilty to seven charges all relating to indecent images of children. 

Bradford District’s Police Online Investigation Team launched an investigation when 17 indecent images were uploaded to a google account in March 2022. 

The IP address came back to Barnes home address and he was subsequently arrested, charged and remanded on 25 January 2023. 

Today (22nd June) he was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court to 45 months in jail. 

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and he must sign on the sex offender register for life.  

Officer in the case PC Kate Davis of Bradford District’s Police Online Investigation team said: 

“Barnes was in possession of the most disturbing child abuse material at the time of his arrest. 

“His collection included more than 1700 images of the most serious category. Behind every picture there is a victim of child abuse. 

“We welcome the lengthy sentence today which reflects the seriousness of his offending. 

“We are committed to protecting victims of child sexual abuse. We will find those people responsible and bring them before the courts.”

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A former priest in North and West Yorkshire has been sentenced to a further eight and half years behind bars for sex offences against young boys.

David Leslie Crowley, 69, is already serving an 18 year sentence (extended by two years) at HMP Full Sutton for 13 similar offences committed between 1979 and 1985. Crowley appeared before Leeds Crown Court on Monday (June 19) and pleaded guilty to a further 15 offences.

The crimes took place between 1982 and 1993 when the defendant was a priest at St William’s RC Church in Bradford, Our Lady of Lourdes in Huddersfield and St Mary’s and St Michael’s RC church in Settle. There were five victims.

Crowley used his position of authority as a priest to groom the boys, taking them on day trips, plying them with gifts, alcohol and food, and visiting pubs. Some of the victims came forward as a result of media coverage of Crowley’s previous offending.

The abuse he suffered caused one victim to experience flashbacks and to attempt suicide as an adult and left another with drug and alcohol dependence. Graham Guest from the CPS said: “Crowley flagrantly abused his position of authority and trust within the communities he served to commit vile offences against young boys, leaving many of them with lifelong trauma.

“The true extent of his offending when he was in holy orders is now becoming clear. It is difficult to imagine a more appalling breach of trust and complete betrayal of the values of his priestly vocation. Our thoughts remain with his victims, as they have been throughout.”

In 1998 Crowley was given an 11-year sentence for 15 sex offences against young boys. The latest sentence will be served consecutively

Detective Inspector Oliver Coates, of Kirklees Child Safeguarding Unit, West Yorkshire Police, added: "This conviction follows a lengthy and comprehensive investigation by DC Moorhouse into the West Yorkshire offences. It ensures that this dangerous man will remain behind bars where he belongs.

"These offences were reported to the police many years after they occurred, and I hope the work that has been done to bring Crowley to justice shows that we will investigate historic offending. I would urge anyone who has been the victim of sexual offences, whether recent or non-recent, to report it. By doing so, we can ensure that you are supported and get the justice you deserve."

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A persistent sex offender who got away with his crimes against two young girls in Calderdale has finally been jailed after he went on to rape another child.

Daren Skillings, now 57, was interviewed by police almost a decade ago about his abuse of the first two complainants, but he denied any offending at the time and no further action was taken.

Prosecutor Jayne Beckett told Bradford Crown Court on Tuesday that the case was only reopened after Skillings, now of Sticker Lane, Bradford, was accused of abusing and raping a third young girl several years later.

One of Skillings’ first victims faced him in court and finally saw him jailed for 11 years. He was handed an additional extended licence period of one year, to be served at the end of the sentence.

Mrs Beckett read moving victim impact statements from all three complainants, who must not be identified for legal reasons, in which they described the nightmares, flashbacks and trauma they had suffered as a result of Skillings’ offending.

One of his first victims said she was sad it had taken years for her to get justice. She said: “I never got my justice when I first reported it...I wasn’t believed." She said the subsequent rape offence could have been prevented and she now hoped Skillings would never hurt anyone again.

The third victim said she suffered nightmares and flashbacks on a regular basis and every part of her life was difficult.

Skillings, who will now have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, pleaded guilty to the rape and abuse charges involving his most recent victim and was found guilty of abusing the two other complainants by a jury following a trial.

Catherine Silverton, for Skillings, said he had always accepted responsibility for the rape and was deeply ashamed and remorseful. She said he had been a hard-working man who appeared to have been a “functioning alcoholic”.

Jailing Skillings, Judge Armstrong said the victim statements made very moving reading. He said the original case had not been pursued nearer the time and it was only following the more recent matters that it had been resurrected.

Skillings will now have to serve two-thirds of his 11-year prison sentence and he will have to comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order when he is finally released on licence.

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A paedophile who hopes his sick behaviour might one day be legal has been given a 10-year extended sentence as a "dangerous offender".

Bradford man Nathan Roe groomed two teenage boys over social media and tried to meet up with them for sexual activity - despite already being prosecuted and sentenced at Leeds Crown Court for similar offending relating to a “decoy” undercover police officer posing as a child online.

In May last year, the 21-year-old, of Tyersal Close, was given a two-year community order with conditions that included attendance on a sex offender programme.

But less than a fortnight after the sentence was passed, a monitoring service alerted the police after software installed on his computer equipment picked up his sexualised messages to one of his latest victims.

Today Recorder Paul Reid KC jailed Roe for six years, but he also imposed an extended licence period of four years after he said the defendant posed a significant risk of serious harm. Roe, who had been an engineering student, will have to serve at least two-thirds of the six-year jail term after he pleaded guilty to a series of offences involving the two boys, who must be identified for legal reasons.

Recorder Reid said Roe had groomed both youngsters and had tried to meet both of them for sexual activity. Roe admitted various charges relating to arranging to meet a child for sexual activity, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.

He will now have to register as a sex offender with the police and comply with an indefinite sexual harm prevention order. Recorder Reid said Roe had preyed on his two vulnerable victims in a deeply manipulative way.

Referring to a “disturbing” pre-sentence report on Roe, the judge said he had shown no remorse for what he had done and had expressed the hope that such behaviour may become legal in the future.

The court heard how Roe, who admitted having an active sexual interest in underage boys, had met up with one of the boys and touched the youngster’s bottom and hugged him on that occasion.

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A Bradford paedophile has been jailed for over a decade after years of raping a child.

On Thursday, April 6, 35-year-old David Smith was charged with multiple counts of non-recent rape against a female. The Allerton man was jailed by the Crown Prosecution Service’s Rape & Serious Sexual Offences Unit, for eleven and a half years after admitting to multiple counts of rape against a child.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will also be required to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. The offending took place on several occasions between 2003 and 2009 during the victim’s childhood, who reported the crimes as an adult.

Sentencing Smith, Recorder Jason Pitter acknowledged the mitigation put forward by his defence team but also highlighted the devastating impact of the "horrible" abuse on the victim and her family.

Detective Sergeant Roshan Pitteea, of Bradford Safeguarding Unit said: "Smith committed multiple rapes against his victim when she was a child and the impact on her has been profound. I welcome the lengthy sentence handed down today.

"We hope this sends a strong message to any other victims of non-recent abuse to come forward and report this to the police. We will listen to you, and we will investigate. We will do all we can to seek justice for you." 

Roshan added: "I hope the sentence today brings the victim some comfort and closure for her and her family. I commend her bravery in coming forward to report the abuse and her resolve throughout the investigation and court process.

"I would like to thank her Independent Sexual Violence Advisor from West Yorkshire Victim Support for supporting her every step of the way." Recorder Pitter commended the victim for her bravery, having listened to her victim impact statement, which was read out in court by prosecuting counsel Mr Soheil Khan K.C.

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A convicted child sex offender has been jailed again after he admitted becoming ‘fixated’ by a young girl and fantasising about the victim he abused around three decades ago.

Bradford Crown Court heard today that Dennis Lane, 79, was jailed for ten years in 1996 for child abuse and in subsequent years he had repeatedly been given long prison sentences for breaching the terms of protective orders designed to stop him committing further offences.

Judge Ahmed Nadim said that those previous jail terms had not curbed his behaviour and he referred to a report which concluded that Lane was now an ingrained offender with an incapacity to acknowledge guilt.

Last year, police were alerted to concerning behaviour involving Lane and when officers searched his home in Denton Row, Denholme, they seized Diana, Princess of Wales, books containing images of children, and a large child-like doll that was found in his bed.

Prosecutor Maryam Ahmad told the court that children had complained about ‘the weird old man’ who had been engaging them in conversation and a teacher had seen Lane talking to a young girl who looked uncomfortable.

Lane’s indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention order, imposed in 2018, banned him from having any contact with children and he was also prohibited from going within 50 metres of any playground.

The order also banned Lane from being in possession of any child images.

After his arrest last October, Lane denied having any sexual interest in the young girl, but later admitted being ‘fixated’ with her and fantasising about his previous victim.

He also accepted he used child images and the doll for sexual gratification.

Lane admitted breaching the terms of the Sexual Harm Prevention order and was jailed for three years and nine months.

Imran Khan, his barrister, said his client wanted a simple quiet life away from people and to remove himself from society.

“So his strategy for avoiding further offending is to become a recluse?” Judge Nadim said.

“Yes,” said Mr Khan.

He added that Lane understood that a prison sentence was inevitable and he had made peace with that.

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TWO men have each been jailed for two and a half years for sexually abusing two vulnerable teenage girls who had gone missing from a Bradford children’s home.

The underage victims were assaulted at a house in Bradford, after meeting Stanislav Himal by chance in the street late at night and giving him directions.

He took them to the address where they thought they would receive money and cigarettes for helping him, prosecutor Abigail Langford told Bradford Crown Court today.

Himal, 35, a father of seven, of Runswick Terrace, Wibsey, Bradford, and co-accused Jozef Fedor, 56, of Frank Street, Great Horton, then sexually molested the girls who were so frightened that they fled the house without their shoes and jackets.

The men denied abusing the girls but were convicted by a jury of sexual assault.

Miss Langford said the girls arrived at the house in the early hours of the morning on a day several years ago.

It was then suggested to them that the men were offering the money and cigarettes in return for sex, saying they ‘would have to work’ for them.

Things then ‘spiralled out of control’ with both girls being molested.

One was pushed upstairs and assaulted on a bed by Himal. She was screaming and kicking out as she tried to fight him off.

She was then forced on the floor and abused again.

Fedor was kissing one girl against her will and trying to take off her leggings, the court was told.

The teenagers fled the house without their shoes and jackets and summoned help from a passer-by. One had a neck injury after struggling with her attacker.

The police were called and the defendants denied the assaults at trial.

Miss Langford said the girls were particularly vulnerable. They were missing from a children’s home and out late at night.

The men were acting together and there was an offer to give the teenagers alcohol.

“One young female saw her friend being assaulted and vice versa,” Miss Langford stated.

Andrea Parnham, for Himal, said he had no previous convictions. The offending was opportunistic, impulsive and out of character.

He had a wife and seven children and was in work at the time.

He and Fedor had been held in Leeds Prison on remand for several months.

Catherine Duffy, Fedor’s barrister, said he too had no previous convictions.

It was one incident more than three years ago.

Fedor had been working as a plumber and now intended to return to Slovakia on his release.

Recorder Patrick Palmer jailed both men for 30 months.

He made Sexual Harm Prevention Orders for ten years and each must sign on the sex offender register, also for ten years.

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A 70-YEAR-old Bradford man has been jailed for more than eight years after raping a teenager.

Edwin Gill, of Dulverton Grove, Holme Wood, initially pleaded not guilty to the offence, claiming the teenager had consented.

But after seeking legal advice, he changed his plea to guilty and was sentenced at Bradford Crown Court today (March 14).

Prosecutor Jonathan Sharp told the court that Gill had first asked to cuddle the teenager, touched their bottom and inner thigh, then proceeded to rape them.

The victim was left shocked and felt helpless after the attack, but was able to tell family about what had happened, and Gill was arrested.

In interview he initially denied any rape, but later admitted having sex with the teenager, which he claimed was consensual.

In a victim impact statement read out to the court, the victim described how they had suffered panic attacks as well as struggling to sleep and concentrate on studies following the attack.

Judge Ahmed Nadim praised the young victim for “courage and fortitude” in assisting the authorities in bringing Gill to justice.

Laura McBride, for Gill, told the court that there was genuine remorse from Gill and that “he is truly sorry for what has happened”.

“He can’t put into words the shame and regret that he’s felt,” she added.

In sentencing Gill to eight years and nine months imprisonment, Judge Nadim said he had broken moral and legal norms, adding: “A child’s carefree days have been marred." 

He added that his victim suffered “degradation and humiliation” at his hands.

A life-long sexual harm prevention order was imposed on Gill, and he must register as a sex offender for the same length of time too.

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A young woman was forced to give up her job after being followed and attacked on her way to work in Bradford last year.

The woman, who must not be identified for legal reasons, had been walking along Manchester Road at about 6am when she became aware of 27-year-old Patrik Lukacs crossing the road and walking right up behind her.

Bradford Crown Court heard on Friday that Lukacs, a father with a long-term partner, told the woman she was “looking good” and asked for her number. Prosecutor Philip Standfast said the woman refused to give him her number, but tried to get rid of him by saying he could add her in Facebook.

The court heard that Lukacs followed the woman all the way to the Ripley Street area where he then began groping her bottom and between her legs. Mr Standfast said: “He went to hug her from behind and tried to pick her up."

The woman was telling him “no”, but Lukacs then tried again to pick her up and take her into a snicket near some flats.

“He tried to grab her hand, but she told him she was not going with him because she had to get to work,” said Mr Standfast.

Lukacs, of Denbury Mount, Holme Wood, Bradford, continued to grope the woman and followed her all the way to her workplace. The court heard she was in tears when she arrived in work and a friend alerted the police after she told him what had happened. The complainant’s jeans were tested and DNA linked to Lukacs was found on them.

Lukacs was arrested a week later and denied sexually assaulting the woman. He suggested that she “quite liked him” and nothing happened that she did not want. But at a court hearing in January Lukacs admitted the two charges of sexual assault and on Friday he was jailed for 18 months.

Mr Standfast said as a result of the attack the complainant had given up her job because she felt unsafe going to work along the same route.

Barrister John Batchelor, for Lukacs, said his partner had been away and his client had been out drinking with friends. He suggested that Lukacs may have been more drunk than he recalled.

Recorder James Baird said the woman had made it clear to Lukacs that she did not want his attention and he had persisted in following her. He said the complainant had been left feeling anxious all the time and found it difficult to sleep.

Lukacs will now have to register as a sex offender with the police for the next 10 years and he is also subject to an indefinite restraining order which bans him from contact the complainant.