Michael William Bond indecently assaulted woman in Whitsundays while on holiday with wife

A man visiting the Whitsundays to celebrate his 25th wedding anniversary befriended a younger woman with his wife, before indecently assaulting her when they were alone.

Proserpine Magistrates Court file pic

A man celebrating his 25th wedding anniversary in the Whitsundays is set to have an awkward trip home after he squeezed another woman’s breast while on holiday in the Whitsundays.

Michael William Bond was on holiday from the United Kingdom at the time of the sexual assault which occurred at a resort on an island in the Whitsundays this year.

The 67 year old retired UK national was at the resort with his wife, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary when the couple befriended a woman who was visiting the region on a solo holiday.

On one of the mornings of their trip, Mr Bond made his way solo to the woman’s room wearing a bathrobe, the woman invited him in for tea at which point he sat on her bed and began suggesting that he really wanted to give her a back massage.

The court heard he told the woman “go on, roll on your tummy,” when she said no she did not want a massage.

Mr Bond was told he was being “really inappropriate”. Picture: iStock/ljubaphoto

She told police she felt concerned by Mr Bond’s persistence so eventually she told him he could instead give her a shoulder massage.

The court heard while massaging the woman’s shoulders Mr Bond dropped his hands to the woman’s breasts which he rubbed and squeezed.

The woman pushed Mr Bond away from her telling him it was “really inappropriate”. Mr Bond then asked the woman what time she would like to hang out with him before leaving.

When Mr Bond left the room the woman ripped her top off in disgust over what had just happened then called a family member who reported the incident to the resort.

Mr Bond told police at the time that he had never entered the room or touched the woman but he later pleaded guilty in court to indecent assault.

Cleo Rewald, solicitor for Richards Rewald Solicitors appeared in the Proserpine Magistrates Court for Mr Bond where she said the day prior to the incident the woman had told Mr Bond she had a sore back and it was agreed that he would give her a massage.

“Come on, at 7 o’clock in the morning he goes over in his bathrobe, whilst he’s on his 25th wedding anniversary celebrations to give a massage because she’s got a sore back?” said Magistrate Anna Smith.

“I don’t accept that.

“I don’t accept that there’s not a sexual interest in that regard.”

Ms Rewald said being around the resort in the bathrobe was not unusual for Mr Bond as he had also attended the pool in the same clothes.

Magistrate Smith pointed out attending a pool in a bathrobe and attending another guest’s room were two completely different things.

Mr Bond was set to return home to the UK following court.

“That will be an awkward trip back between him and his wife,” said Magistrate Smith.

In sentencing, Magistrate Smith took into account that Mr Bond had no criminal history and had spent three days in custody over the incident.

Mr Bond was fined $1200 and convictions were not recorded.