Zeyad Khalaf Mashko: Coffs Harbour man in court for sexual touching

A Coffs Harbour father-of-three has been sentenced for sexually touching a woman who was selling him a baby seat.

A Coffs Harbour dad who fronted court for sexual harassment says he “badly misread the intentions” of a woman who was selling him a baby booster seat.

Zeyad Khalaf Mashko, 34, was sentenced in Coffs Harbour Local Court on Monday on a charge of sexual touching without consent.

The court heard that the incident happened in September last year when the father-of-three went to the home of a couple who he had organised to purchase a baby seat from.

The couple met him outside and after exchanging money, the victim’s partner went inside the house to get some change, the court heard.

Mashko then told the woman to “keep the change” and when she began walking towards her home, he pulled her back towards him and kissed her on the cheek.

She pulled away and he once again pulled her back and kissed her.

He then followed her and grabbed on her buttocks, the court heard.

Mashko’s lawyer told Magistrate Ian Rodgers that the man, who had no criminal history, said he had “badly misread” the woman’s intentions.

He had initially pleaded not guilty but changed his plea to guilty before a hearing took place.

Magistrate Rodgers acknowledged Mashko’s lack of criminal history but said the nature of his conduct raised concerns for a future risk of offending.

“Clearly this would have been a highly distressing event for the victim,” he said.

Mashko was convicted and sentenced to a community corrections order for two years.

He was also fined $1000.