Man groping women was ‘absolutely wrong’, judge says

A DUNEDIN father of three who groped women during lockdown on consecutive nights claims he has no idea why he did it.

Joshua James Alexander’s only explanation was that he was under stress at the time, the Dunedin District Court heard yesterday.

Counsel Brian Kilkelly said his client had assumed daytoday care of his children when it happened and was finding the Covid19 lockdown difficult.

The court heard he drove to George St on the evening of

April 8 and parked near the intersection with Duke St.

When he saw a 21yearold woman walking, he followed.

‘‘When the victim stopped and bent over to look in a letterbox the defendant pulled the hood of his jacket over his head before approaching her and grabbing her crotch from behind,’’ court documents said.

‘‘He left his hand on her crotch for a couple of seconds before the victim screamed and he ran off.’’

Alexander later circled back to his vehicle and drove off.

The next night he was out again in central Dunedin, this time in Cargill St.

Alexander zeroed in on another young woman and pursued.

He gripped the victim’s buttock ‘‘in an upward manner and squeezed it’’, the court heard.

The defendant fled down Filleul St as the victim stood there screaming.

When police questioned Alexander, he admitted what he had done and accepted he ‘‘clearly had a problem’’.

After he pleaded guilty to two counts of indecent assault, Alexander’s major fear was that he would lose custody of his children, Mr Kilkelly said.

However, that did not happen.

One of the victims agreed to face her attacker at a restorative justice conference.

She accepted Alexander’s apology and asked the court not to punish him; instead she hoped he would get the treatment he required.

While the defendant accepted that was unrealistic, he stressed his commitment to complete any therapy that was prescribed, particularly to address sex offending.

Judge Dominic Flatley noted that Alexander had previous convictions, but none for similar matters.

Though the judge rejected the Otago Daily Times’ application to photograph the defendant, he ruled that his name should not be suppressed.

‘‘What you did was absolutely wrong and it will not be tolerated,’’ he said.

‘‘Part of the process of the response is for the public to be aware of this type of offending. You have to deal with any fallout from any publicity as best you can.’’

Alexander was sentenced to 18 months’ intensive supervision and 250 hours’ community work.