Hassan Nekouei sentenced for sexually touching women at Castle Hill

A married father who sexually touched young women by luring them into job interviews claimed his actions were normal in his Persian culture — an excuse that was immediately slapped down by a magistrate.

Hassan Nekouei is guilty of sexually touching three women without consent.

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Former pizza chef Hassan Nekouei has faced court for sentencing after he kissed women and touched their thighs and breasts when they met him at a Castle Hill restaurant for job interviews in June, August and September 2020.

The 42-year-old initially fought three charges of sexually touching three women at the restaurant when he made the unwanted advances before entering guilty pleas on March 3.

Court documents reveal Nekouei, who is now a pest control worker, first hit on a 31-year-old married woman who responded to a job ad on Gumtree that said “needs waitress and kitchen hand prefer female”, during the afternoon of June 9.

After Nekouei “strangely” asked her if she was in a relationship, he approached her from behind as she swept the floors, placed his hands on her hips, pulled her in close and kissed her on the lips.

Hassan Nekouei (left) leaves Parramatta Local Court with his lawyer Behrooz Ehsani in September.

“The victim became outraged and stated that the accused’s behaviour was highly inappropriate and that she no longer wanted anything further to do with him,’’ the police facts stated.

“The accused understood and said that he will pay her for the day’s work and that she is always welcome to work three days a week.”

He was back to his slimy ways on August 13 when a 19-year-old victim went for a trial at the restaurant, where he made her some pizza for lunch before she cut vegetables and cleaned the kitchen before telling her “you are very cute”.

“The victim attempted to avoid his comments,’’ the police facts state.

“The victim said ‘Don’t do that, I don’t want’’. He said why, why, what’, attempting to intimidate her.“The accused said things like “I will make sure you get the job, one day you could be a manager’’.

His actions made the victim feel very uncomfortable.’’But Nekouei persisted and slapped her bottom before trying to kiss her face and neck and touching her breast over her blouse.

He had earlier told the victim “I want to know you better’’ and told her “you don’t have to tell him, no one has to know,’’ after she told him she had a boyfriend.But despite being granted bail after his arrest on August 18, Nekouei, who is also known as Ash, struck for the third time on September 12 when a 32-year-old woman applied for the kitchen hand position where she met him inside while her boyfriend waited outside.

As she crouched in a low squat position to clean the fridge, he grabbed the top of the victim’s right thigh and rubbed his hand down it before pestering her to hug him and pressing his body against hers. He told her “Oh I wish I could have a Filipina girl”.

“Whilst the accused was hugging the victim, her arms and hands were close to her chest with her hands intertwined,’’ the court papers state.

“The victim ‘froze’ and did not embrace the accused. She felt scared and uncomfortable. She did not consent to the accused hugging her.”

He continued to demand he hug her and after asking if she had a boyfriend, told her:“Me, I don’t have kids or a wife.’’

The victim said, “Oh, you should visit the Philippines and go find the right girl for you.’’

“The accused replied, “Oh, I wish. Oh come. Hug me! Hug me!’’

She managed to flee and met her boyfriend at Castle Towers before reporting the incident to police, who arrested Nekouei on September 21, when he told them he hugged the victim once and kissed her on the top of her head once for one second but denied rubbing her thigh.

At Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday, it heard how the North Parramatta man tried to use his culture as an excuse for his sleazy actions when he spoke to police and community corrections staff.

“He claims that his sexual touching is typical behaviour of his culture. I don’t know if I would accept readily if that’s true, certainly not in Iran,’’ Magistrate Andrew George said.

“These charges are more serious than I think you understand.“When you are in a position of dominance over young women who are coming to apply for a job any type of touching is unacceptable and it renders you with the almost inevitable prospect of going to prison.

“I do not believe that any level that you did not realise that your behaviour was unacceptable. That was simply implausible.”

Nekouei’s lawyer Behrooz Ehsani earlier told the court the police never approached the police for his client’s first offence before asking for an adjournment and to avoid a conviction.

Magistrate George dismissed the request.

“Are you seriously asking that he not be convicted? I regard these offences most seriously.”

Nekouei was sentenced to a 12 month intensive correction order and 200 hours community service for each offence.