HUMAN BHARGAVA

LONDONDERRY MAN JAILED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT AT CHRISTMAS PARTY

A man has been jailed for four months for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl at a Christmas party in what a judge described as "outright human betrayal".Human Bhargava, 44, of Birch Hill in Londonderry, admitted to three sexual offences committed from December 2022 when he appeared at Bishop Street courthouse in the city on Friday.The court was told that Bhargava and the girl, who was 16 at the time, had been talking earlier in the night and she claimed he had placed his hands on her chest.

Later, on the dancefloor, he grabbed her from behind and again touched her inappropriately.The girl later confided in a male friend about what had happened, describing it as "weird".

The court was also told that Bhargava followed her outside and put his hand under her top, then approached her again while she was waiting for a taxi and asked her to dance.Defense barrister Stephen Mooney said there are two kinds of offenders: "people who are bad" and "good people who have done something very bad", characterizing this incident as the latter.

He mentioned Bhargava's lack of prior record and that his drinking had contributed to the offences, describing him as "remorseful" and stating his memory of the incident was "non-existent".District Judge Barney McElhom noted that Bhargava only pleaded guilty on the morning of the hearing.

The judge expressed concern that the victim believed she would need to give evidence, which would be stressful.

He described the victim impact statement as a "very disturbing document" and regarded the maximum sentence of six months as "wholly inadequate".Bhargava was sentenced to four months in custody, with an additional seven years on the sex offenders' register, and was ordered to pay the girl £1,000 in compensation.