A woman has described being 'terrified by every knock on the door' after Alan Keeney sexually assaulted her in her own home. The 44-year-old from Gateshead entered her property against her will, carrying instant coffee which he claimed was a gift.
Assault Details
Once inside, Keeney insisted he wasn't a 'creep' and tried to persuade the woman to take a shower, telling her he 'won't peek.' He then assaulted her on her sofa while making comments about seeing women's underwear on TV. Newcastle Crown Court heard the woman was so traumatised she moved house out of fear Keeney would return.
In a victim impact statement, she said: 'A home is a place where you should feel safe and secure. This has been taken away from me. I am now terrified of being alone in my home. Every door knock or door bell ringing has me terrified that the same thing will happen again. I am now suffering with anxiety and depression and require medication for this. I have been suicidal as a result of this and I'm constantly looking over my shoulder.'
How the Incident Unfolded
The court heard Keeney was on the same bus as the woman on August 29, 2024. Soon after she entered her home, she heard someone trying her front door handle and knocking. Prosecutor Shada Mellor said: 'She went to look through the peephole but stepped on a creaky floorboard, making it obvious someone was home.' When she answered, Keeney stood with instant coffee, asking to come in. She repeatedly refused, saying her home was 'messy,' but he said he didn't care and entered.
Inside, Keeney repeatedly asked if she had showered, said he wasn't a creep, and kept mentioning the shower and making mochas. He put his hand down his trousers, then sat next to her on the sofa, touching her leg while talking about a medical show and the number of times he'd seen women's underwear on it. He also mentioned seeing a woman's black thong on the bus. He placed his hand on her lower back and moved it down to her bottom. He only left when the woman's partner arrived with his dad and told him to leave.
Sentence and Background
Keeney, of Ripley Court, Harlow Green, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to sexual assault. On Tuesday, Judge Nathan Moxon sentenced him to nine months in prison, suspended for 15 months, along with a five-year restraining order and a 40-day rehabilitation activity requirement. The court heard Keeney, who has one previous conviction for criminal damage, was intoxicated on the day, has borderline intellectual function, and did not realise the woman did not want him in her home.
