Daniel Ryan sentenced for sexual touching

A young man who sexually touched a woman at one of Sydney’s most popular clubs has been warned by a magistrate not to make assumptions just because a woman laughed at his jokes.

An engineer who touched a woman’s buttocks without her consent at a Sydney nightclub has been warned not to make assumptions about what a woman wants just because she laughs at his jokes.

Daniel Ryan, 25, was charged with sexual touching without consent after he was captured on CCTV at the Ivy nightclub in Sydney touching a woman’s buttocks on June 3.

Agreed police facts reveal the Castle Hill engineer met a woman at the Ivy Precinct off George St in Sydney’s CBD and began speaking to her and her friend around 9.50pm.

Daniel Ryan, 26, leaves the Downing Centre Courts.

“During this conversation the accused had made two jokes, which the victim found amusing,” police state.

“While laughing the accused has touched the victim’s left shoulder before touching her left thigh.”

After sharing drinks and conversation for an hour, Ryan and the victim were dancing side-by-side before the pair continued into the crowd on the dance floor.

“The two have remained on the dance floor before the accused has finished his drink,” police state.

“Upon finishing his drink the accused has used his hands to touch the victim’s bottom twice.”

The woman fled with her friend and reported the touches – which were not consensual – to the venue security.

Ryan pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced at court.

When police arrived at the venue, Ryan was initially too shocked to speak.

“The accused made admissions to the two buttock touches on the victim without her consent,” police state.

“The accused further stated ‘I genuinely thought she liked me, I wish I could apologise’.”

Ryan pleaded guilty to the offence and faced Magistrate Miranda Moody at Downing Centre Local Court on June 29.

“Just because someone is chatting to you and likes your jokes does not give you permission to touch them without consent,” Ms Moody warned.

She acknowledged Ryan was deeply remorseful and had no prior criminal history and sentenced him to a 12-month conditional release order without conviction.