A YOUNG woman who had been on a night out in fancy dress was sexually assaulted in an alleyway where she had gone to try to sober up before going home.
Her attacker Keowen Carberry denied sexually assaulting her during the incident in Leamington in April last year, claiming what took place had been with her consent.
But after more than six hours, a jury at Coventry Crown Court found the 24-year-old, of St Margarets Road, Leamington, guilty by a majority of 10-2.
And Judge Philip Gregory observed that one consequence of the conviction was Carberry was likely to lose his job at a children’s nursery.
At the request of his barrister Ian Speed, the case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, and Carberry was granted bail.
During the trial the jury heard his victim had been out in Leamington in fancy dress, and after parting with her friends, she had gone to get some chicken nuggets and chips.
The young woman said there was a passageway near the take-away shop, so had decided to go there to eat her food and to sober up a little before going home.
In a recorded interview played to the jury, she said she then saw ‘a young guy at the entrance going for a wee,’ so had decided to wait for him to finish before leaving.
He then noticed her and, using the name of the character she was dressed as, asked her if she was OK and then offered to walk her home, but she told him she was fine.
“All of a sudden he’s against me, trying to kiss me. Then he’s pushed me round the corner, trying to kiss me again. I’m saying ‘No, get off me,’ and he’s clutching me between the legs.
“He put his hand on my mouth and nose, and I can’t breathe. The wig has come over my eyes, and I can’t really see very much.
“He shoved me down and I scraped my knee, and he’s on top of me, grabbing my boobs and between my legs.
“Then he snapped out of it and said ‘I’m sorry, I’m really sorry.’ I said ‘It’s fine, just let me go.’
“He stands up and I stand up, and then he snaps back into it. He pushes me up against a car and is biting my neck.”
She said Carberry then seemed to snap out of it again, and she ran off and phoned one of her friends before getting a taxi to her friend’s home.
When she got there and looked in her bag, she realised her purse and other items must have fallen out, so her friend paid for the taxi.
The young woman said she changed out of her costume and waited until it was light to walk home, going past the scene of the incident, and found her things still in the alley.
And she added: “I couldn’t fight him off. I’m so annoyed with myself. He just wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
Carberry, who was of previous good character and worked at a children’s nursery, said what happened in the alleyway had been with her consent but that was rejected by the jury.
Granting Carberry bail and ordering him to register as a sex offender, Judge Gregory warned him: “There is a real possibility that you will be sent to jail for this. You must understand that.
