Married dad given community order after sexually assaulting girl at Sunderland Pride festival

Rajib Hussain, 32, of Northcote Avenue, Hendon, Sunderland, pressed himself against the girl’s bottom through clothing, a court heard.

She was dancing by herself but among a crowd at last year’s Sunderland Pride festival on Sunday, September 29, when he struck.

Without a word, he rubbed himself against her – and repeated the act after she moved a few feet away, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court was told.

Prosecutor Clare Irving said the stunned victim finally escaped his grasp by moving towards two other girls nearby, one of whom chased him off with words.

But his actions were caught on CCTV and he was arrested, claiming in interview the girl had been looking at him.

Hussain, a butcher from Bangladesh, also said he did not know the customs of the country, though the court heard he had lived in England for three years.

Ms Irving said: “She goes to dance. She becomes aware of someone standing very close behind her.

“She said that she wasn’t initially worried because the place was busy with other people. It was at this stage that the person behind her moved in closer.”

But Hussain then pushed against her, the prosecutor told the court.

She added: “She was shocked, and she was a bit scared, and so she moved forward to get away from him.

“Again, the defendant moved forward. He put his hands onto her hips and took hold of her.

“By now, this lady was really scared and saw two girls three or four feet away. She told them what had happened.”

When quizzed by police, Hussain said: “She kept looking at me, I thought she was looking for friends.”

He said he only wanted friendship as he was married and had not spoken to the girl because he was “confused”.

Admitting he had touched her bottom, he told officers: “She was very close, and I was very close to her.”

Tracey Wood, defending, said: “He accepts his wrongdoing, and clearly he is remorseful. This is a man who is married with a young son.

“He’s clearly got language barriers, he does not speak English, he has clearly misinterpreted the individuals involved.

“I would suggest it is an isolated incident. His wife is with him in court but there has been stress in his family due to this incident.”

Hussain, who had previously pleaded guilty to sexual assault, was also given a 24-month community order and must complete 45 days of rehabilitation work with the Probation Service.

He must pay his victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, £150 compensation and was fined £306 with £85 court costs and a £90 victim surcharge. He was placed on sex offenders’ register for five years.