Crown court for Mansfield man who carried out ‘nasty and sustained’ sexual assault

Michael Nelson grabbed the woman by the throat, tried to kiss her, and thrust his groin at her before touching her thigh "multiple times" on September 29 last year.

He urged her to touch his genitals, called her names and had to be physically restrained, said prosecutor Andrew Conboy.

In a tearful statement she said she felt trapped and thinks Nelson tried to violate her because she is a woman.

"I want to know why he carried on after numerous warnings," she said. "I know it is not my fault but I want him to know I had to endure the assault for what felt like a really long time."

When she had a shower afterwards she said she felt she couldn't get clean enough. She added: "This made me feel so vulnerable. It has caused me a lot of psychological damage. It is hard to get over what happened."

The court heard she was left feeling nervous and suffered nightmares about the incident.

Two small bags of cannabis were found in Nelson's pocket when he was arrested. He kicked and spat at officers while shouting homophobic abuse in the holding cell.

Nelson, aged 30, couldn't remember anything after drinking beer and spirits that day but admitted the offences when he was shown CCTV.

When told about the sexual assault he said, "he couldn't believe what he had done and acknowledged it was disgusting”.

Mark Stocks, mitigating, said: "Everyone would conclude his behaviour was entirely unacceptable. He acknowledges that. He expresses genuine remorse."

Earlier that month he said Nelson lost his job and home and started drinking heavily. He hasn't consumed alcohol since and has found full-time work.

He was last in trouble for possessing mamba in 2021 and received a 12-month community order for criminal damage and assault the year before.

Nelson, of Rosemary Street, Mansfield, admitted sexual assault, possession of cannabis, assaulting an emergency worker and threatening behaviour when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on February 13.

On Tuesday magistrates decided their sentencing powers were insufficient and committed him for sentence to Nottingham Crown Court on April 30.