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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Zahra Khaliq

Female Man City fan gropes man but dodges jail - despite urges to treat her same as male

A female Manchester City fan who got drunk and groped a male Everton fan during a game has dodged jail - despite him urging courts to treat her as they would a male sex attacker.

Jemma Whiteside, 40, grabbed the man's genitals and twerked against his shoulder shortly before kick-off, saying: ''I am going to f*** him later, and I don't even know his name.''

The mum-of-six faced up to ten years jail after she was convicted of sexual assault in a trial at Sefton magistrates court.

But she was only sentenced to a nine-month community order which requires her to carry out 15 days of a rehabilitation activity.

The mum faced up to 10 years in jail but was given a nine-month community order (Jemma Whiteside/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

The victim reported the incident to police, which he said left him ''shocked and upset.''

In a statement he said: "It should not matter whether the assault was by a man or a woman, it should be treated the same.''

But later when Whiteside, of Worsley, Greater Manchester, was asked about the incident she said: ''No offence to Liverpool but a Scouse man is not something that I would want or need.''

She was ordered to pay the victim £400 in compensation after a judge said drunk people ''can and often do things which are very out of character.''

The victim, who is in his 40s, said: "I was looking out towards the concourse when a female came up behind me, put her hand between my legs and grabbed hold of my testicles. She then shouted 'I am going to f*** him later, and I don't even know his name.'

"She went one step up of a flight of stairs so she was slightly higher and put her bum on my shoulder and then walked off. I was shocked. I looked at a colleague and he looked at me and I said: "'Did that just happen?'

The incident took place on February 26 this year at Goodison Park (Liverpool Echo)

PC Mark McGinty who arrested Whiteside in the stands said: "The female was very drunk. You could tell by the way she was behaving in her seat.

“She was moving her arms about erratically, leaning over the barrier and trying to grab at people below, shouting at them and shouting towards the pitch.”

The court heard the officer had recorded in his statement that Whiteside had been heard saying that she "liked Scouse men".

When pressed on whether she said he liked Scouse men, she said. "As a staunch city fan that is not something I can see myself saying."

She continued: "I wouldn't even do this sort of thing to my boyfriend in public. Ask any Man City fan and they will wholeheartedly agree.

The mum-of-six to will have to carry out 15 days of a rehabilitation activity (Jemma Whiteside/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

“That is not something I would do. He has taken offence at me, he does not like me. I am a respectable mother and a respectable City fan.

“I would not behave in a way that would make me be less able to see Man City.''

She told the hearing: "If I was walking past I may have brushed past him. It was a football match, it was a crowded place, it is easy to happen, to brush past someone.''

She also continued to deny saying she was going to "f** him later" and added "I have never said anything like that in my life. I am a mother of six children. When I am not looking after my children, football is the only thing I do."

Finding her guilty of sexual assault, District Judge James Clarke said: "The victim on this occasion said he felt contact - and it was quite an unusual and unexpected type of contact.

The judge said drunk people ''can and often do things which are very out of character'' (Jemma Whiteside/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)
The woman denied using crude language (Jemma Whiteside/ Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd)

“I am sure the lady had been drinking during the course of the afternoon. She was a lady in high spirits who was hurried by her friends and taking last sips of alcohol in the process.

"I am not convinced it is something he made up. The defendant was a joker, and this is a prank that has gone very badly wrong whilst committed in drink and perhaps showing off to friends on the occasion."

After the case Senior Crown Prosecutor Mike O'Kane, of CPS Mersey Cheshire, said: "Men do fall victim to sexual assaults and are entitled to protection under the law.

"The CPS works hard to fairly apply the law, irrespective of the gender of the suspect or victim, and to ensure that offending such as this is robustly prosecuted.

"The victim in this matter was forced to attend trial and give evidence as Ms Whiteside refused to accept her culpability."

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