A father-of-three has admitted grabbing and sexually assaulting a stranger near a train station after she ignored him when he said, ‘Baby, I’m single’.
Joshawa Eric Lyle Kane dragged the woman underneath a clubhouse at a cricket ground when she ignored him on November 15, 2020.
‘Baby, I’m single,’ he said, the Brisbane District Court was told on Tuesday.
She ignored him at first and continued walking, but responded with ‘Hello’ when he greeted her.
Kane followed the woman, grabbing her from behind and lifting her off the ground, when she reached inside a bag for a phone.
The now 28-year-old asked why she was ignoring him, saying, ‘I was calling you repeatedly.’
‘Please leave me, please leave me, I’ll call the police,’ the woman replied.
While she tried to pull free, Kane overpowered her, carrying her into a corner under the clubhouse.
Footage shown to the court shows the woman struggling unsuccessfully to get away from Kane who was wearing a yellow high visibility vest.
Once out of sight of the camera, Kane held her throat while touching her breasts and inside her pants, the court was told.
When she cried and shouted for help Kane put his hand over her mouth.
After about a minute a man walking a dog heard her yelling, ‘Let me go, leave me alone’.
On seeing the bystander, Kane let the woman go.
Joshawa Eric Lyle Kane dragged the woman underneath a clubhouse at a cricket ground when she ignored him on November 15, 2020. The 22-year-old woman was walking through a park going to Dakabin train station (pictured), north of Brisbane
Kane, now 28, was sentenced at the Brisbane District Court (pictured) on Tuesday. Judge Williamson sentenced him to 18 months behind bars, suspended immediately. Kane has already spent 282 days in jail
The attack would have been terrifying and distressing for the woman, Judge Michael Williamson said in sentencing Kane.
‘This was a cowardly, disgusting act on a woman who was vulnerable, going to catch the train,’ he told Kane.
‘It’s something about which you should be deeply ashamed.’
Defence barrister Damien Gates said his client was a spray painter and father of three who had a problem with alcohol, but no history of sexual offending.
However, he had been given immediate parole in 2015 on being convicted on a charge of committing a robbery with actual violence while armed.
Judge Williamson sentenced Kane to 18 months behind bars, suspended immediately.
Kane has already spent 282 days in jail.