A 43-year-old Nerrina man who sexually assaulted a man sitting at the Little Bridge Street bus stop in broad daylight has faced court.
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The Ballarat Magistrates’ Court heard the man, who has an intellectual disability, approached the victim at the bus stop on August 22.
Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Lisa Schoemaker told the court the victim, who also had an intellectual disability, claimed he was touched twice on the genitals and asked for sex, which was denied.
She said the victim, who was unknown to the accused, then got on the next bus and appeared upset.
The accused’s lawyer, Kim Sturrock, said her client was under the impression the victim had consented.
Ms Sturrock told the court police released CCTV footage to the media which was broadcast across the city only hours after the assault.
She said her client saw the footage of himself and immediately turned himself.
She added the media attention had caused her client to suffer and urged the magistrate to take this into account when sentencing.
Magistrate Franz Holzer convicted the man and placed him on an adjourned undertaking to be of good behaviour for the next two years.
