A Romanian man has been told by a judge that he is now considered the same as a “paedophile” after being placed on the sexual offender register for seven years.
Court heard the 23-year-old grabbed the waist and cupped the breasts of a woman in Joe Mac’s Bar in Portadown.
Sergiu Ciprian Teglas, 23, of Portadown, appeared charged with sexual assault at Craigavon Courthouse on Friday.
It was heard that on August 7 at around 1.10pm police received a report from the injured party who claimed a man had been inappropriate towards her in the smoking area of Joe Mac’s Bar.
She told officers the defendant grabbed her the waist and moved his hands towards her breasts before trying to kiss her.
It was heard that the victim told police she tried twice to push the defendant away from her.
Teglas was later arrested by officers as he was identified by his description and CCTV footage.
During interview, Teglas told police he had cupped the woman’s breast and waist.
He also stated he had told her if she wore clothes that pushed her waist in and her breasts up she would look more attractive.
The defendant denied getting any sexual gratification from the act stating that he did not speak English which might have caused confusion.
Teglas denied trying to kiss the injured party on the lips stating that intended to kiss her cheek.
He showed remorse and asked that his apologies were passed on the victim, who was 18 at the time of the offence.
District Judge Bernie Kelly stated: “What made him the Giorgio Armani of Romania,
“It is disgraceful that a woman cannot go about her daily life without this sort of behaviour”.
Defence barrister Conor Coulter said that Teglas was remorseful and had entered a plea at the earliest stage.
Judge Kelly quipped: “I sincerely doubt that”.
It was heard the defendant had been in custody since the date of the offence and had arrived in Northern Ireland in April for work.
Mr Coulter stated that Teglas wished to return to his native Romania, where he had a child and wife which he admitted might be “quite a surprise” for the judge.
Judge Kelly told the defendant: “This is the twenty-first century where women are entitled to be treated as equals and with respect.
“This offence is aggravated by the fact that you have a wife and child at home”.
Teglas was sentenced to four months in prison and told he would be put on the sexual offender’s register for seven years.
Judge Kelly said: “To put that in context you are now considered a paedophile and let me tell you this Interpol take this register very seriously”.
