Indecently assaulted three women on birthday night out

Richard Terpstra, 41, of Flat 2, 20, Fountain Street, St Peter Port, admitted the offences, and a similar assault on a male staff member at Folies nightclub.

Prosecuting Advocate Jenny McVeigh told the Magistrate's Court that the defendant was in Folies nightclub with friends just after midnight. When a male staff member bent down to pick up a broken glass Terpstra slapped him on the backside.

Some 15 minutes later the group left Folies and went to the nearby Amigos Bar, where they were refused entry. They returned to Folies where outside, Terpstra put his arm around the back of a woman and slapped her bottom before a friend ushered him away. The group were allowed back into the nightclub. When another woman asked the defendant and his friend to create space to let her to the bar, he slapped her bottom too.

She was shocked by this and asked an older man and woman to stay close by in order to protect her. A third woman was standing near the bar when Terpstra ran his palm over her lower back, across her bottom and on to her leg. She too said she was shocked by this. At about 1.20am the second indecent assault victim was reaching into her bag when Terpstra slapped her bottom again.

She went outside and reported this to police, who said she was shaken up and distressed.

The men were asked to leave the nightclub due to how much they had drank.

Outside, as a police officer was asking them to leave the area, the woman identified Terpstra as the man who had indecently assaulted her. As he was being handcuffed, a friend told him that it was because he had touched the woman’s bottom. Terpstra was then identified by the two other female complainants.

In the first interview he said it had been his birthday and heavy night. He remembered nothing. When CCTV was obtained and put to him in a second interview, he said he had been out for meal with about 10 friends. He could not remember going to Folies afterwards. He identified himself at the bar but said he could not remember touching any women. He accepted what was plainly apparent on the CCTV. He said the assault on the man must have been some type of joke.

Advocate Paul Lockwood said the defendant was in disbelief and embarrassed by what he had done. He had been a drunken idiot who had shown himself up, but it had not been driven by sexual desire. Advocate Lockwood said he did not wish to take anything away from the seriousness of his client’s behaviour.

Judge Graeme McKerrell said the defendant had shown insight and remorse in to his offending but wondered about the impact on his victims.

Court sentences had to reflect the seriousness of the offences and the psychological harm that such behaviour had on victims. This type of offence was becoming too common, and this had not been an isolated incident but a prolonged piece of bad behaviour.

Sentences of six weeks in prison were meted for the three indecent assaults, and two weeks for the assault on the man. All were concurrent. Terpstra was also made subject to notification requirements for the next four years.