On Thursday the 22nd July the trial of Neville Hayward took place in the Summary Court. He had been charged with one count of sexually touching someone without consent. After a one day trial he was found guilty of this offence.
The court heard from the complainant how during an event at the Rose Bar Mr Hayward had walked behind her and touched her inner thigh as she went to sit down, before making a lewd comment to the people around him.
She told the court how she felt humiliated and reported the incident to pub staff at the time.
Crown Counsel Mr Stuart Walker told the court that Mr Hayward “made a catastrophic error of judgement in making a joke at the victim’s expense – in doing so he sexually assaulted her.”
Defending, Mr Damian Sabino, said “Mr Hayward made it clear that he would not consider that to be a joke. He’s a man of good character.”
After hearing the evidence the Justices of the Peace returned with a guilty verdict, saying “we don’t think behaviour like this should be minimised” as it is “hurtful to the victim.”
Mr Hayward will be sentenced on the 18th of August.
