Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Teenager assaulted girl on dance floor
A TEENAGER has narrowly avoided a jail term after he admitted sexually assaulting a girl twice on the same night while they were dancing at a nightspot in Dundee.
Nineteen-year-old Naqash Nadeem, of Bush Street, Musselburgh, began dancing with the girl, who was on a night out with friends at DUSA The Union in Airlie Place, despite not knowing her.
Fiscal depute Laura Bruce told Dundee Sheriff Court that around 1.20am on January 10 he began dancing behind her, put his hands round her waist then sexually assaulted her on top of her clothing.
The teenage girl attempted to move away and one of her friends witnessed the assault. The girl decided to remain in the students union, Mrs Bruce said.
An hour later, she was again dancing but had become separated from her friends.
Nadeem then approached and began dancing with her — and again sexually assaulted her in the same way.
The fiscal said: “She traced her friends and told them it had happened again and the matter was reported to the door staff.”
Police were called to the venue and the accused was identified by door staff and he was apprehended.
Ms Bruce said that footage of the incident had been captured on CCTV.
Sheriff Alastair Brown told Nadeem: “It is absolutely unacceptable for any man to touch a woman sexually, whether he knows her or not, without her consent. It is particularly unacceptable and offensive to do that to a stranger and to do it twice is far beyond what could possibly be excused.
“I am considering a custodial sentence for this. Touching any person sexually without consent is something that would attract a prison sentence.”
Sheriff Brown deferred sentence until May 10 for a social work background report and a restriction of liberty order assessment. He placed Nadeem on the sex offenders register in the interim.
Nadeem admitted that on January 10 at Mono dance floor in DUSA, Airlie Place, he repeatedly sexually assaulted the girl over her clothing while dancing with her.
A DUSA spokesman said: “DUSA does not tolerate this type of behaviour and actively tries to prevent such behaviours through our well-trained customer safety staff and rigorous zero tolerance policy.
“We have fully complied with the police on this matter and do not wish to comment further whilst disciplinary procedures are ongoing.
“We are also here to offer support to the victim and any victim of such abuse whilst also providing a safe place to report these issues. Anyone affected by this or any such behaviour should contact vpsw@dusa.co.uk.”