Man molested woman at his kids’ nursery
He had drOpped OFF his ChildreN
AN Oxford graduate molested a woman after dropping off his children at nursery, a court heard.
Father-of-two Leeri Marella, 48, inexplicably grabbed the victim as he was leaving the building, having left the youngsters with staff. As she tried to fight him off, he lifted her clothing with his fingers before stroking her back.
Considering a string of other convictions for crimes against women, all involving ‘the exertion of power over someone clearly less powerful,’ Judge Hilary Manley warned him to ‘think very carefully’ before making advances in future.
Marella successfully claimed asylum in 1986 from his native Sudan where he got a degree in geology and then later completed a masters degree at Oxford University.
But since his arrival in the UK, he has been convicted of beating up one former female partner and has been cautioned for assaulting another.
He was also jailed in 2014 after he accidentally scalded a little girl with boiling hot water.
At Manchester Crown Court, Marella, a former customer services adviser, from Northenden, denied wrongdoing but was convicted of sexual assault after a trial. He escaped with 26 weeks of jail suspended for two years.
However, Judge Manley warned him: “You have begun to build a history of offending and the victims of your offending are always female.
“All these offences have involved your exertion of power over someone who is clearly less powerful than yourself. The effect this has had on her was clear to see.
“This offence does cross the custody threshold because of your previous convictions.
“You need to think very carefully before you show your intentions to females and I hope this has been a lesson to you.”
Defence lawyer Paul Bryning said: “This was only a very short-lived offence which was impulsive and not pre-meditated. There is also a lack of previous sexual convictions in this case. His previous convictions against females are more of a coincidence rather than design and I think it would be unfair for that to held against him.”
Marella was also ordered to sign the Sex Offender Register for five years and complete 100 hours of unpaid work.
He must also pay a victim surcharge of £100.