He sexually assaulted a woman in a bar in Hull, leaving her ‘confused, humiliated and a shell’
The case was heard at Hull Crown Court(Image: Katie Pugh)
A rugby player ran off from a city bar after sexually assaulting a woman as she left the toilets. CCTV from the bar was viewed by police after Liam Betts fled the scene with friends.
Betts, 24, of Cavendish Road, Hull admitted sexual assault. Prosecutor Eleanor Mitten told Hull Crown Court how the woman went to the toilets with a friend.
As she and her friend exited the toilets, she was groped forcefully from behind as Betts grabbed her. Miss Mitten said: “It was painful. She was in shock. She told him he could not do what he had done and told him it was sexual assault.”
The prosecutor said a member of the public alerted security staff, but the defendant and his friends ran away. CCTV from the bar was examined after the complainant reported the assault to Humberside Police.
Betts presented himself at a police station following a police appeal on social media including a CCTV image. Miss Mitten said: “He was concerned about his workplace finding out about it.”
The woman tearfully told the court of the impact the assault had on her and encouraged more women to report similar attacks to police. She described it as “a horror” which had deeply affected her, leaving her “confused, humiliated and a shell.”
She said: “It was unacceptable. I watched him run away from his cowardly actions.” The woman said she had to wait until her child went to bed before she could cry on her own after the ordeal.
She praised the Humberside Police investigating officers and encouraged other women to come forward if anything like that happened to them. Mitigating, defence barrister, Chris Dunn said his client had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.
Character references described him as “hard-working, thoughtful and well-considered.” He works in the construction industry and plays rugby. He said his client was remorseful and ashamed of “a moment of sheer lunacy on a Biblical scale.”
Judge Alexander Menary said the assault was “a grossly unpleasant violation.” “The people of Hull must understand that this behaviour is not acceptable nor tolerated and it must be stamped out,” he said.
He added the victim is still living with the consequences but had “refused to be cowed.”
“She graciously praised those in the investigation and hopes to be an example to others and encouraged others to report such behaviour and call it out,” the judge said.
He said she had suffered severe psychological harm. The defendant had aimed to be a rugby league player and was well-thought of, hard working, and not considered a high risk of repeating the offence, said the judge.
Judge Menary imposed a 16-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months with 200 hours of unpaid work and 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Days. He will be on the Sex Offender Register for 10 years. Betts was ordered to pay court costs of £150 and a court surcharge.
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