Sajjad Abdullah, 20, pleads guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court to one count of indecent assault

A promotional dancer for a strip club in Brisbane’s Fortitude Valley was indecently assaulted by a young man who claims to not remember the incident, a court has heard.

The victim was a promotional worker for a Fortitude Valley strip club.

A teenager indecently assaulted a promotional dancer outside a strip club in Brisbane’s party precinct when she bent over and twerked as he walked past, a court has heard.

The groper walked away initially, but walked past again 10 minutes later, at which point the 41-year-old female victim confronted him and pushed him against a wall.

Sajjad Abdullah, now 20, pleaded guilty in Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday to one count of indecent assault over the incident.

The victim was a promotional worker for a strip club in Fortitude Valley and was working at the intersection of Brunswick and Wickham streets around 10pm.

The court heard that she twerked to some other passers-by and received a reaction from one of them, so she decided to do it again.

At this point, Abdullah - 19 at the time - was walking by with his friends.

Police alleged that while the woman was bent over and twerking, Abdullah ran his hand down the woman’s vagina over her clothing.

The court heard the victim made an immediate complaint, but Abdullah had walked off.

However, the prosecution said Abdullah returned 10 minutes later, at which point the victim confronted him, pushed him into a wall and said “you grabbed me”.

Police interviewed Abdullah on August 7 and he claimed he had four or five drinks that night and did not remember touching the victim. Officers charged him and released him on bail.

The victim was a promotional dancer for a Fortitude Valley strip club.

In court on Thursday, the prosecution said while it was “crude and opportunistic offending”, Abdullah had no criminal history and he should receive a wholly-suspended jail sentence.

William Kennedy of Beavon Lawyers, representing Abdullah, handed a letter of apology to the court that his client had written and asked for him to be put on two years’ probation.

“He is an extremely young man, with his life ahead of him … this is a disgusting and foolish act and we do accept that, and it did cause trauma to the victim,” Mr Kennedy said.

“Patrons of the Fortitude Valley precinct should know that workers who provide those services and entertainment are entitled to feel a sense of personal safety.

“This was a drunken escapade, he is extremely remorseful and ashamed, he was intoxicated for one of the first times and he doesn’t usually drink.”

The court heard Abdullah is from Afghanistan, but is now a permanent resident. He came to Australia in 2013 with his mother and four siblings after his father died in Afghanistan.

He currently works for a painting company.

In sentencing, magistrate Clare Kelly said it was a “serious offence” that carried a “need for community denunciation”.

“It is certainly disturbing that you considered it was acceptable to touch that lady in that way … I hope you have learned a very serious lesson,” she told Abdullah.

“But this appears to be out of character on your part.”

Ultimately, the magistrate decided to put Abdullah on a two-year probation order. She also decided against recording a conviction, given Abdullah’s age and prospects.