Man guilty of sex assaults

Sick ‘bumblebee’ attacker appeals jail

A FORMER Apollo Bay man jailed for sexually assaulting two women at a music gig has been released on bail after lodging an appeal.

David Kennedy, who now lives in NSW, was jailed yesterday for three months and placed on the sex offender list for 15 years after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault.

Geelong Magistrates’ Court heard Kennedy was drinking at the Great Ocean Road Brewhouse on January 8 last year when he approached two women he knew through mutual friends and began rubbing their genitalia.

Kennedy and the women had been listening to a band when the music finished and the bar closed.

Kennedy walked towards the girls, who were wearing “puffy dress” costumes and stood very close to one of the women, the court heard.

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Jacki Davis said Kennedy reached under the dress of one of the women and tried to touch her vagina.

The woman immediately took a step back and her friend struck Kennedy.

The court heard Kennedy then rubbed the second woman’s vagina and tried to stick his finger underneath her underpants. The woman pushed away Kennedy, who then tried to hold onto her by wrapping her in a bear hug.

The woman told Kennedy he acted inappropriately and both victims walked outside, but Kennedy followed them calling them sluts, bitches and whores. He then went outside and got down on his hands and knees to beg for forgiveness, but when the women refused to accept his apology Kennedy started calling them names.

“That’s what you get when you dress like a bumblebee,” Kennedy said.

The women left the venue and walked towards the Apollo Bay Hotel, where they found police and reported the incident.

Defence lawyer Simon Northeast said his client only became aware of the charges when he tried to purchase a car nearly a year after the assault took place.

Kennedy was arrested in NSW and spent five days in a Penrith prison before being granted bail to drive to three court hearings at Geelong.

Mr Northeast said his client, supported by his brother in court, had obtained work as a kitchenhand and had not committed any further offences.

He argued his client could maintain work while completing an order or paying a fine.

But Magistrate Peter Mellas said he had no choice but to jail Kennedy.

Kennedy appealed his sentence and made a bail application to Magistrate Ann McGarvie yesterday afternoon. He has been bailed to a NSW address and will appear before court at a later date.