Man guilty of groping boy on bus to appeal jail term

A SEX pest who groped a sleeping teenage boy on the back seat of a Dublin bus has been sentenced to seven months in prison.

Honorio Medina Barboza (49) claimed he thought the 15-year-old victim was a “lovestruck” gay man who had signalled he was attracted to him.

Judge Bryan Smyth said he had shown “little responsibility” for his behaviour.

However, Barboza walked free from court shortly after sentencing, when he after serving notice of appeal and taking up bail.

The accused, a Spanish interpreter, of St Edmund’s Park, Lucan, had pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

Dublin District Court heard the boy was travelling on a bus into the city centre on a morning in July 2019 when the accused boarded. He sat beside the victim, who was asleep at the back.

While the bus was on the quays, Barboza placed his left hand on the victim’s genital area, outside his clothing, and stroked him a number of times, Det-Gda PJ Gallagher said.

The boy challenged the accused and told him to “feck off”, at which Barboza said: “there’s no need to scream, calm down”.

He then got up and when the doors opened, he got off the bus.

Barboza was only identified when CCTV footage was broadcast on RTÉ’s Crimecall in a garda appeal months later.

He pleaded guilty last November and the case was back before the court for a probation report and victim impact statement.

Defence solicitor Lorraine Stephens said Barboza was prepared to offer €500 as a compensation “gesture” or charity donation.

In the probation report, Barboza stated he did not realise the age of the victim, Ms Stephens said. However, he “wholly accepts it was his responsibility and he was 125pc in the wrong”, she added.

Judge Smyth said it was of concern to the court that the probation report stated Barboza accepted “little responsibility” for his behaviour.

He had attributed his behaviour to a perceived “lovestruck” signal from the victim, who was underage, asleep and did not communicate with him.

The judge set recognisances in the event of an appeal and the accused later served notice of appeal and took up bail.