‘Legless’ Christmas partygoer groped woman
ADRUNKEN factory worker groped a woman’s breasts after becoming “legless” at a Christmas party.
Sean Grimshaw, 48, had been drinking for several hours before the assault and had earlier shouted “all women are b ***** s” at the function at the Royal Clifton Hotel in Southport.
He told South Sefton Magistrates’ Court he had little memory of the evening but denied that he would ever sexually assault someone.
The victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she had refused to dance with Grimshaw despite him repeatedly trying to drag her to the dance floor by the arm.
He later returned and groped her from behind while she was sitting down.
She said: “He came up behind me while my partner was next to me and grabbed my breasts.”
An angry confrontation then followed between him and the victim’s partner. Grimshaw was then pushed to the ground before being taken back to his hotel room by colleagues.
Grimshaw, of Clipsley Lane in Haydock, had started drinking at his home at lunch time and continued in a Southport pub before heading to the Promenade hotel at about 3pm.
He had fallen asleep on a staircase at the party and, according to the victim, the DJ and a bar worker had attempted to force him to eat in a bid to sober him up.
The victim’s partner described Grimshaw as acting “like a clown” and said he had eaten a bowl of cranberry sauce to make people laugh.
He added: “People were saying: ‘it’s normal, let it go’.
“It’s not normal in my world. I wouldn’t conduct myself in that way.”
The event, which included a free bar, was attended by staff from Grimshaw’s employers, Mainland Poultry, and other workforces.
A panel of three magistrates, led by Mr McGrath found Grimshaw guilty after a trial on Friday.
Sentencing was adjourned to Friday, January 4 for a probation report to be completed.