Drunken man who strangled woman after she rejected his sexual advances jailed

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A Warrington man who strangled a woman acquaintance after she rejected his crude sexual advances, has now found himself behind bars.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that the 34-year-old woman tried to diffuse the situation after he grabbed her crotch area over her clothing by play fighting with him.

But a short time later “he grabbed her around the throat, pushing her head back against a wall. She described her breathing as becoming restricted until he released his grip,” said Simon Mintz, prosecuting.
“She stated it was painful and lasted ten to 15 seconds but felt like longer. It did not leave any marks or injury.”

The court had heard that the 56-year-old Martin Dempsey and the woman had both been drinking on the day of the incident. On previous occasions he had asked her to have sex with him but she always declined.
On June 3 last year they and others were drinking in Brickfield Park, Warrington, before the couple walked to some arches by Warrington Central railway station. They were seen on CCTV there for about half an hour during which she made it clear she was not interested in having sex with him.
They were seen talking apparently amicably and sometimes play fighting. When he sexually assaulted her she pushed him away and called him an idiot and tried to make a joke out of it by play fighting, said Mr Mintz.

It was afterwards that he grabbed her by the throat and a member of the station staff who saw what had happened called her into the station for safety. “The woman thanked her repeatedly and looked frightened.”
The police found Dempsey, of no fixed address, shortly afterwards sitting under some railway arches surrounded by empty bottles and he was arrested. When interviewed he said he had been very drunk and could not remember.
The court heard that he has previous convictions including possessing cannabis and theft.

Phillip Tully, defending, said that Dempsey, who appeared at court via video link, “accepts his behaviour got worse and was totally unacceptable….He is ashamed and disgusted with his conduct.”
He said that the defendant has alcohol and mental health difficulties and has no similar convictions.
Dempsey pleaded guilty to sexual assault and strangulation.
Jailing him for 16 months Judge David Potter said, “The court does not under-estimate the effect of strangulation on people who suffer such terrifying attacks.”
He ordered him to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.


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