Community order for man who groped woman in Oxford nightclub

Oxford Magistrates’ Court was told that Arlindo Marques had drunk ‘more than 15’ double measures of whiskey and coke when launched his sordid assault at Plush nightclub in Oxford city centre in the early hours of September 18, 2021.

The 32-year-old pleaded not guilty to the allegation of sexual assault but was convicted of the charge at a trial in January.

When he returned to court for sentencing on Wednesday (May 3), the East Timorese man was said to have accepted the finding of the magistrates and was remorseful for what he did.

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Prosecutor Ann Sawyer-Brandish told the justices that the victim was enjoying a night out with friends when Marques grabbed her bottom then reached between her legs.

“She was shocked. She turned around. There was a male stood close behind her, he’s tried to hug her, leaned in and tried to kiss her,” the prosecutor said.

“She turned her head and he licked and kissed the side of her face. She pushed the male away.

“She was disgusted by his behaviour, as were her friends who were with her.

“They exited the nightclub, they have seen him and they have bumped into police officers and identified him to them.

“She says that the male looked out of place and appeared to be alone.”

Mitigating, Nawaz Khan said: “Mr Marques’ judgement [may have been] clouded by the fact he had consumed more than 15 double shots of JD and Coke.”

The defendant mistakenly believed there was ‘some friendliness’ with his victim, it was said on his behalf.

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Mr Khan said his client was remorseful and, through his lawyer, expressed his apologies to his victim. He had been under investigation for a ‘very long time’ before being charged and had not been in trouble before. The advocate said: “I ask you to look at this case as a very unfortunate but isolated incident.”

The bench was told: “Mr Marques has lived in the United Kingdom for some 11 years. He’s a hardworking man of 32 years of age, working two jobs so that he can support his elderly and ill mother in East Timor, his sister and her children and his extended family.”

He was said to clean an Oxford college in the morning before taking an early evening shift as a bartender at a city bar.

Marques, of Hawkins Street, Oxford, was given a year-long community order with up to 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days and banned from entering any licensed premises except for the bar where he works. He must pay £200 in compensation to his victim and £755 in costs.

He will be on the sex offenders’ register for five years.