Apologetic dad avoids jail time for groping woman
Businessman admits sexual assault in bar on his first night out after lockdown
A BUSINESSMAN who groped a stranger as she bent over to collect her umbrella when leaving a pub has avoided going to jail.
Father-of-three Quentin Parke, 44, was ordered to do 240 hours community service in lieu of 16 months in prison.
Judge John Aylmer described the incident as “a vile, horrific and degenerate groping”.
Parke, who owns a refrigeration business, had pleaded guilty at Donegal Circuit Court to the sexual assault of the young woman at Mccafferty’s Bar in Donegal town on October 3, 2021.
He had claimed he had drunk too much after going out socialising for the first time since a Covid lockdown.
His victim, who is now in her mid 20s, was out with friends having had dinner at a restaurant that evening. She had left her umbrella behind the door of the pub which was packed on the evening she called in.
Evidence regarding the assault was given by Garda Sergeant Stewart Doyle. The woman, who was wearing a dress on the night, said as she reached for her umbrella she felt a hand grab her between her legs.
The woman initially asked her friend if she had touched her saying: “Somebody is just after grabbing me.”
The victim then made eye contact with a man who was sniggering at her.
Her friend asked who it was and she pointed to a man wearing a checked shirt and denim jeans, with mousey coloured hair.
The friend managed to get a picture of the man.
Friends of the woman went outside and told gardai what had happened and details of the man were taken.
A short time later gardai arrested a man who was staggering and was drunk and refusing to give them his name.
Brief CCTV footage of the incident was shown in court.
When interviewed later at Ballyshannon Garda station, Parke said it appeared he had touched the woman.
He told gardai: “I may have stumbled, I don’t know. It’s not something I would do. I’m married with three lovely children.
“I’m disgusted to be fair, I really am. I’m apologetic as it’s not in my nature. I’m blown away by it.”
The accused’s lawyer Sean Mcgee told the court that although alcohol was a feature of the events on the night, his client did not have an issue with alcohol.
He said it had been his first night out since lockdown and had consumed a number of drinks. Parke, of Newtownhamilton, Newry, Co Down, was supported in court by his wife Kelly. Mr Mcgee said there was no interaction with the injured party before the incident and that the assault was not premeditated.
The lawyer said as a token of his remorse, Parke had €5,000 which he wanted to give to the injured party no matter what the decision of the court was.
Passing sentence, Judge Aylmer said the incident took place when the accused was in a very drunken state and was opportunistic.
He said that sexual assault came in all forms and often of a serious nature and notwithstanding the “vile, horrific and degenerate nature of this assault” he placed it at the lower end of the scale and said it merited a sentence of two years in prison before mitigation.
Parke was placed on the sex offenders register.
I’m disgusted & apologetic as it’s not in my nature. I’m blown away by it QUENTIN PARKE TO GARDAI DURING INTERVIEW