A BRADFORD man has been told to revise the way he approaches women after pleading guilty to sexual assault.
Bradford Crown Court heard that Abid Nawaz had pestered two women, touched their bottoms, exposed his genitals to one, and gesticulated towards the other’s breasts whilst commenting “nice boobs”, in separate incidents during 2022.
Prosecutor Celine Kart said the 42-year-old, from Colonnade House in Sunbridge Road, was reported to police by the first woman after he grabbed her bottom.
He made further advances to her by putting his genitals over the top of his trousers and holding a condom in his hand. He also asked for the woman’s phone number, which she refused to divulge.
Nawaz’s approach to the second woman also involved putting his hand on her bottom, which he held there for one or two seconds until she asked him what he was doing.
He said it had been an accident but then held a condom in his hand, asked if she “wanted a bubblegum”, and gestured with both hands in front of her breasts with a squeezing motion before making the lewd comment.
When interviewed by police Nawaz denied touching the women in a sexual way.
He later pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault.
Mitigating for Nawaz, barrister Jeremy Barton said he accepted his guilt.
He said his behaviour was not intended to cause fear or harm “and he realises that behaving in the way that he did was wholly unacceptable”.
His Honour Judge Colin Burn said jailing Nawaz would not allow him to access support or rehabilitation to address his behaviour and so imposed a 14-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
He said Nawaz would take part in the Horizon offender behaviour programme, for men with a sexual conviction, and undertake 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
The judge said Nawaz’s behaviour, which he described as “a combination of sexual touching and pestering”, was “completely unacceptable”.
He added: “The conduct would have been undoubtedly upsetting, unnerving, and worrying to them. [It was] certainly demeaning towards them and showed a lack of respect for them, and a lack of insight into the effect of your behaviour on them.
“You are going down the path or risking serious trouble and entry into custody if you don’t revise the way you approach women. Ultimately it will land you in prison.”
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