PERVERT LAUGHED WHEN CONFRONTED AFTER SEXUALLY ASSAULTING GIRL
A man who followed a woman late at night and subsequently sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl in the street was identified as David Demeter.After the girl fought back against his groping, Demeter fled and later laughed when questioned by police.
Liverpool Crown Court was informed that the incident occurred on July 14, 2022, shortly after 9:15 pm.
The first victim was walking along Smithdown Road from the city centre when she noticed Demeter approaching her with a smug look, looking her up and down.
Prosecutor Carmel Wilde stated that Demeter then began to follow her.
The woman tried to shake him off by crossing the street multiple times, but he kept pace and even stayed on the opposite sidewalk attempting to appear less obvious by picking up litter.
She messaged her housemates to wait for her at the end of the road and then confronted Demeter directly, asking him to leave her alone.
He responded that he only wanted to look at her.
After her friends arrived, she ran home, but Demeter lingered outside for ten minutes.
Approximately 20 minutes later, around 9:30 pm, Demeter began following two 16-year-old girls on Egerton Road in Wavertree.
He twice placed his arm around one girl, sliding his hand down onto her chest and groping her breast.
The girl pushed him away, causing him to fall.
The girls then turned onto Lawrence Road but still noticed him following.
Demeter, originally from Slovakia and living in the UK for six years, assaulted the same girl physically by kicking and punching her after she pushed him against a lamppost and threw a bottle at him.
When her friend tried to intervene, Demeter also punched her and kicked her leg.
The girls managed to photograph him during the incident, leading officers to arrest him near the scene.
During police interviews, Demeter claimed he would answer questions because he knew the truth and appeared indifferent upon viewing CCTV footage, laughing and saying he could not be seen on it.
The incidents occurred weeks after an attempted break-in at a woman’s flat on Botanic Road, where Demeter tried to force open her window with a piece of wood.
He was later arrested for this but released on bail.
Peter White, defending argued that Demeter was homeless at the time and seeking food and shelter.
They also stated that alcohol may have influenced his behaviour during the offenses.
Demeter admitted to attempted burglary and was convicted of two sexual assaults, three assaults, and a public order offense.
He received a sentence of four and a half years.
Judge Mark Ford KC described Demeter as a predatory individual with no remorse or empathy for his victims, noting that his actions were solely for sexual gratification and caused significant psychological harm.
Demeter was also given indefinite restraining orders, ordered to register as a sex offender for life, and to pay a victim surcharge.
