Woman sexually assaulted after police requested she help drunk mate

The victim was sexually assaulted by her ‘friend’ after police requested she take him home to sober up.

A police request for a woman to come and collect a drunk mate and take him home to sober up, ended in her sexual assault.

“He was picked up by the police in a drunken state. His (friend) responded to a request by the police to come and collect him and to assume responsibility for his welfare. The assault occurred while she was driving him home,” the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) heard.

Heath Pickett, a male nurse, was experiencing personal problems, had a history of drug and alcohol abuse and had consumed two-and-a-half bottles of whiskey over the day or two prior to the sex assault, VCAT heard.

He had been in contact with the victim over the phone during the drinking spree.

When Mr Pickett arrived at his friend’s house, he put on her high heel shoes, fell into her coffee table and vomited on her carpet, so the woman decided to take him to his own house, the tribunal was told.

“She assumed she would not be at any risk of sexual assault when she agreed to attend the police station and assume responsibility for Mr Pickett’s welfare, given his state of extreme intoxication … at the police’s request she initially took him to her home, so that she could monitor his welfare. However, in light of his behaviour when he got to her house, she decided to drive him to his house … It was during the drive to his home that the sexual assaults took place,” the tribunal heard.

Mr Pickett drunkenly grabbed at her breasts and crotch a number of times, presiding VCAT member Jonathan Smithers said.

A woman collected her drunk mate to take him home to sober up and was sexual assaulted Picture: Stock image

“She fended him off as best she could while driving. She took him into his house and tried to get him to go to bed. He exposed his penis to her, laughing,” he said.

Mr Pickett – who pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault in the Magistrate’s Court on April 4, 2019 – had already been suspended from nursing for two-and-half years following the assault, but VCAT this month cancelled his registration and ordered he be banned from reapplying for another six months.

“Mr Pickett has, in the past, overcome adversity, and we would hope that he is able to do so again. If he is able to deal with his substance dependency … given his age (40), there is no reason why he could not resume making a beneficial contribution to the community as a practising nurse,” the tribunal concluded.

It heard, prior to the assault and his suspension, Mr Pickett had been a hardworking and compassionate nurse who developed a good rapport with patients and staff.

He had expressed empathy for his victim, who initially responded to his text of apology by saying, ‘all good, sorry for what?’, but the woman had later experienced “serious adverse impacts” from the assault.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman on Thursday said it was not uncommon for people to be called to come and collect a drunk person from a police station.

“An alternative to lodging an intoxicated person in custody, unless the circumstances justify otherwise, is to release said person into the custody of a friend, relative or legal practitioner,” she said.