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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
Geoffrey Bennett

Warehouseman from Yate jailed for sexual assaults on woman and teen

A Yate man convicted of groping a woman and teenager has been jailed.

A jury found warehouseman Martin Axford pinned the woman against a wall, pulled her dress down and exposed her bra.

The 52-year-old, of Milton Road, was also found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl but was cleared of sexually assaulting another.

Judge William Hart jailed him for 12 months.

He told Axford: "The complainants were compelling witnesses.

"I would be failing in my public duty if I was to suspend the sentence."

The woman told police: "He pulled the top of my dress down, exposing my bra.

"Then he came towards my face.

"It was just panic.

"Somebody must have then come out and called my name. That's when it stopped."

The victim said Axford later claimed it was the woman who pulled her dress down in front of him.

She said a complaint was made to police when it emerged Axford was accused of also groping two teenage girls.

Giving evidence to the jury, Axford admitted exposing one of the 17-year-old's breasts.

He told the court: "It was an absolutely crazy, stupid thing to do.

"It should never have happened on both parts."

Sam Jones, defending, said his client accepted the jury's verdicts and recognized the harm his offending caused.

Mr Jones told Bristol Crown Court: "He accepted what happened was wrong and that it should not have happened."

For the latest news in and around Bristol, check back on Bristol Live's homepage

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