Homeless drunk assaulted shop assistant in Coventry newsagents

[dutchman]

Dale Barber has an 'aggressive attitude' towards women



A drunken man who grabbed the breast of an assistant in a Coventry newsagents has a history of similar sexual attacks, a judge has heard.

Dale Barber, 28, of no fixed address, was jailed for 18 months by the judge at Warwick Crown Court after pleading guilty to sexual assault, common assault and causing criminal damage.

Prosecutor Andrew Wallace said that on October 9 Barber, a homeless alcoholic, was going in and out of a newsagents shop in Coventry city centre to buy booze.

He first bought half a bottle of vodka, and then a quarter bottle, followed by cans of beer, and eventually became ‘hopelessly drunk.’

When he came into the shop yet again, he stood by the counter holding out two £5 notes, but was incoherent when he tried to speak.

One of the assistants went over to him to ask what he wanted, at which Barber reached out and grabbed her left breast.

Her colleague told him to leave, which he did, but then came back into the shop and pushed past other customers to the front of the queue.

As he leaned across the display, the other assistant tried to keep hold of the plastic screen, but Barber pulled it from her, causing it to split and cut her finger.

Helped by a customer, she ushered him out, and he threw a punch at her, which missed – and when the police arrived and arrested him, he was so drunk he could not stand unaided.

Mr Wallace said Barber had convictions for 64 offences, including sexual assaults in 2009, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018, some of which were ‘remarkably similar’ to his latest offence.

And Judge Anthony Potter commented: “I have read the pre-sentence report with care, and it’s a depressing document.”

Jailing Barber, Judge Anthony Potter told him: “This is your fourth appearance at the crown court for offences of sexual assault, and you have been subject to [sex offender] registration for 12 years now.

“The impression I get is that you have determined you will drink when you want, what you want, and ignore advice that abstaining would be of benefit to you and to society.

“You have an aggressive and persistent attitude towards females when you are in drink, and your last appearance at this court for sexual assault back in 2016 has echoes of this offence.

“Just weeks after you had finished your post-release supervision, by about 4pm you were hopelessly drunk and unable to articulate what you wanted, and when they sought to assist you, you responded with sexual aggression.”