Man, 49, jailed for sexually assaulting woman in Belfast city centre
A man has been jailed for sexually assaulting a woman after she left a Belfast city centre nightclub.
At Belfast Crown Court today (18th), 49-year-old Gordon McBrearty was sentenced to 45 months in prison, half in custody and half on licence.
McBrearty, whose address is currently HMP Maghaberry but is understood to be from the north of the city, accosted the woman on May Street in the early hours of June 4, 2023 – a Sunday – after she left a nightclub to meet someone who was giving her a lift home.
The court that McCrearty had followed the woman, aged in her 40s, for some distance. After accosting her, he yanked her across a road to an area where he sexually assaulted her.
She was later seen distressed and crying out for help by members of the public, who called the police.
Speaking after sentencing, Detective Constable Cormac Donnelly said: "We know the outcome and imprisonment will not erase what happened to this woman, but we do hope it will provide some comfort.
"We are committed to tackling violence against women and girls, and we hope today’s court outcome sends a clear message to offenders – there is no hiding place, and we will work tirelessly to bring you before the court."
The detective added: “We are committed to building trust and confidence, relentlessly pursuing perpetrators and making all spaces safer for women and girls. If you have ever been sexually assaulted, experienced or witnessed any form of sexual abuse, we urge you to contact police on 101, or in an emergency call 999. We are here to help you.”