A man who sexually assaulted a woman on a bus from Galway city to Dublin as well as another woman on a Luas has been jailed for 16 months.
Murad Kandokar, a 49-year-old from Gleann Ribh, Lusk, Co Dublin who is already serving time in prison for a similar sexual assault, pleaded guilty to sexual assaults on a City Link bus on July 17, 2019 and on a Luas on May 26 2021.
Garda Noel McBrearty of Ballymun Garda Station gave evidence of an assault that took place on an early morning bus going from Galway to Dublin Airport in July 2019. A woman boarded the bus, which was half empty, and was surprised when a male later identified as Kandokar sat in the seat beside her.
The victim fell asleep but awoke to find Kandokar's hand between her legs in her crotch area. The victim shouted at him and he moved seats.
The bus driver was notified and Kandokar was arrested at Dublin Airport.
Judge Martin Nolan outlined to the court that Kandokar's behaviour was compulsive behaviour but also criminal behaviour. He said that the assaults were on the lower end of the sexual assault scale, but were still extremely distressing for the victims.
Garda Sonya Mooney also told the court that on the date in May 2021, a young woman got on the Luas at the Museum stop in Dublin. Two other individuals got on the Luas at the same time as her, one of which was the defendant.
The court heard that the woman noted something was putting pressure on her back and her backside. The victim also noticed that someone was standing very close to her and found this unusual as the Luas was not that busy.
The victim turned around and saw that Kandokar’s face was extremely close to her, and when she looked down she could see that he had an erection. The victim moved away from Kandokar and he stared at her.
The victim was visibly upset and decided to get off the Luas at the Four Courts. Another man also got off at this stop and offered assistance to the young woman and brought her to the garda station.
Garda Mooney told the court that CCTV was collected, and Kandokar was identified. He was later questioned and told gardai: “I have crazy thoughts; I know I need help.”
He sentenced Kandokar to two-and-a-half years in prison but suspended the final 14 months.
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