A sales manager sexually assaulted a woman much younger than him when he groped her at a party, a court heard.
John Brennan, of Dyffryn Road in Ammanford, Carmarthenshire, was 55 when the incident took place last year. During a party he touched the naked breast of a woman who was then aged in her 20s. He also sucked her nipple and touched her vagina over clothing.
Victim impact statement
At a sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court on Monday, prosecution barrister Dean Pulling read an impact statement written by the victim. In it she said: "The events of that night have had a significant and lasting impact on me. The incident where I was sexually assaulted has impacted my ability to form any kind of relationship with a man. I have never had any issues with intimacy before this happened. It was an invasion of privacy. I am now very wary of other men. I try to avoid any situations where this could happen again. I fear I may never get past this. It has destroyed my trust in people."
Trial and mitigation
Brennan was previously found guilty of three counts of sexual assault following a trial. In mitigation, defence barrister Hywel Davies said his client has been described as a "kind" person. Judge Paul Thomas KC interrupted at this stage and said that Brennan "was not very kind to the young lady" on the occasion the sexual offending took place.
Mr Davies told Judge Thomas KC his client was already serving a punishment because he has lost his job as a sales manager and a subsequent job offer was withdrawn due to the criminal proceedings.
Judge's remarks and sentence
Addressing Brennan in court, Judge Thomas said the defendant, now 56, had "in drink behaved like a complete and utter clown". The judge added: "You didn't have the guts to admit what you did. You instead opted for a trial. She was clearly not consenting to being sexually mauled in that way. I suspect that you pleaded not guilty for the sake of appearances. I can find no true remorse on your part – only self-pity."
Brennan was handed an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Brennan must also register as a sex offender for 10 years and he is now the subject of a restraining order meaning he cannot make any contact with his victim for five years.
