Shane Derek Lloyd (37) was convicted of two counts of grave and criminal assault and one of sexual touching without consent.
Jurats ordered him to complete 180 hours of community service after deciding that his extraordinary family circumstances meant they could impose a non-custodial sentence.
The Royal Court heard yesterday that Lloyd had been in St Helier’s Co-op Grand Marché on the evening of 18 December trying to buy food.
‘The defendant became abusive towards a member of staff when his cash was not accepted,’ said Crown Advocate Lauren Hallam, prosecuting. ‘He smelt strongly of intoxicating substances.’
The States police were called to the scene when Lloyd started shouting and swearing. Advocate Hallam said: ‘He began to walk away but continued to shout and swear at an officer.’
The officer tried to arrest him for disorderly conduct but he ran up a metal staircase and the police pursued him.
‘He threatened to push an officer down the stairs. He became increasingly violent, by pushing and kicking,’ Advocate Hallam told the court.
When Lloyd was restrained and put on the ground to be handcuffed, he kicked an officer and touched her inappropriately over her clothing – which formed the basis of the sexual-touching charge. The next day he was interviewed by officers. Advocate Hallam said: ‘He couldn’t remember what had happened, as he had had a lot to drink, but he was “totally sorry”.’
The court heard that Lloyd had previous convictions in England and that in a social-inquiry report it had been suggested that he was at high risk of reoffending, but at low risk of reoffending for sexual offences.
Advocate Julia-Anne Dix, defending, said: ‘He has always accepted that his behaviour on the day in question was disgraceful and disgusting.’
She explained that her client had been drinking heavily that day as it had been the anniversary of his mother’s death and added: ‘The offences would never have happened if he had not been intoxicated.
‘The person Mr Lloyd was that day is not the same person that appears before you to be sentenced.’
Advocate Dix also pointed out that Lloyd’s family problems could be exacerbated if he was imprisoned, adding that a ‘custodial sentence would not benefit anyone’.
Delivering the court’s sentence, the Deputy Bailiff, Robert McRae, said: ‘This was a serious offence. The police are entitled to look to the courts for protection.’
But he said Lloyd’s remorse, the time he had already spent in custody and the harm that a further period of incarceration could cause his family had persuaded the court to impose a sentence of 180 hours of community service and a 12-month probation order. Lloyd was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for two years.
Jurats Charles Blampied and Kim Averty were sitting.
