Drunken reveller groped bottoms of two women in pub

26-year-old ‘had no memory’ of sex assaults

A drunken reveller grabbed the breasts of a woman outside a town centre pub, having groped the bottoms of her and her friend hours earlier, a court heard.

The two women had been at the Auction House in New Street, Ashford, with a group of friends when Shane Booton had first groped them at about 11pm on Saturday, April 8.

It led to one of their male friends having an altercation with him and both men were ejected by door staff, said Paul Edwards, prosecuting.

The rest of the group left the pub at about 2.30 to 2.40am and Booton was waiting outside.

He called out to his two victims: “Sexy ladies.”

Mr Edwards said: “They told him to leave them alone. He grabbed both breasts of one of them and her arms.”

Door staff intervened, took Booton away from the women and called police.

Booton, 26, of Towers View, Kennington, pleaded guilty at Folkestone Magistrates’ Court to two charges of sexual assault on a female aged over 16.

Magistrates heard at the hearing on Wednesday last week that he had no previous convictions .

Aideen McMahon , for Booton, said: “This was clearly fuelled by alcohol. There was no planning and no lasting effect on the victims.

“He pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and was very remorseful in police interview. He is disgusted with himself and appreciates that he can’t drink this much in future.”

Aidrian Hukin, trainee probation officer, told the court Booton had been out drinking with a friend who had left earlier.

He said that Booton had been at work that day had not eaten and had no memory of the night until he woke up in a police cell.

Mr Hukin said: “This appears to be out of the ordinary, a stupid and naive decision he made fuelled by alcohol.”

Booton, a self-employed ground worker, is single since breaking up with a long-term girlfriend two years ago, the court heard.

Magistrates imposed a curfew for eight weeks from 9pm to 6am on Fridays and Saturdays, when he has to wear an electronic tag.

Booton was also ordered to pay £100 compensation to each victim plus £85 court costs and £85 victim surcharge, adding up to a bill of £370.

‘This appears to be out of the ordinary, a stupid and naive decision he made fuelled by alcohol’