Council worker Mark James and son accused of punching, groping teen in Rockdale
A teenager has bravely recounted how she begged a local council officer and his son to let her go after they allegedly punched her, pinned her to the ground and groped her breasts after they were ejected from a local pub in Sydney’s south last year.
St George Shire Standard
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A teenager has bravely recounted how she begged a local council officer and his son to let her go after they allegedly punched her, pinned her to the ground, pulled her hair and groped her breasts through her sports bra after they were ejected from a local pub on a drunken night out in Sydney’s south last year.
The 19-year-old woman told Magistrate Peter Bugden at Sutherland Local Court that Georges River Council tree manager Mark James and his 20-year-old son Matthew James were arguing loudly when she encountered them in Rockdale on December 1.
The allegations include that Mark James held her on the ground while he and Matthew James groped her breasts through her sports bra, which was exposed when her shirt ripped open during the struggle.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to indecent assault, sexual touching and assault causing actual bodily harm in relation to the incident.
“I could see them pushing and shoving each other against the wall on the footpath,” the woman told the court.
“The smaller male (Matthew) saw me - he moved towards me and he punched me once with a closed first to the left side of my face.”
The woman then told the court Mark James – who she referred to as the larger man – pushed her and she fell down flat on her back on the footpath.
“He (Mark) pressed me with his elbow and did not let me get up,” she said.
“After that the smaller man (Matthew) came down, pulled my hair and put pressure on my neck area.”
During the alleged random attack the woman said the buttons were ripped from her black work shirt, leaving her sports bra exposed.
“As I was trying to escape they were not letting me go and the buttons on my shirt came off,” the woman told the court.
“My bra became exposed – they touched my breast area at that time.”
At the prosecutor’s request the woman demonstrated that the pair had allegedly touched both of her breasts as she lay on the ground.
The court heard the horrifying alleged attack only came to an end when police intercepted them and the woman took the opportunity to flee.
The father and son have also been charged with assaulting the arresting police officers in addition to assaulting the woman.
The court heard her cheeks were swollen, her chest was sore and her elbows were grazed after the alleged assault.
Matthew James has been in custody since the alleged incident and showed little emotion during the victim’s testimony as he sat in the dock with a female relative.
Mark James was granted strict conditional bail after a brief period in custody after the alleged incident and was supported by his wife, who left the courtroom for most of the victim’s testimony.
Mr Bugden thanked the victim for appearing at court.
“It must have been very difficult for you,” Mr Bugden told the woman.
The hearing was conducted over two days and Mr Bugden will deliver his verdict at a later date.
