Hunstanton shopworker tells court of anguish after attempted sex assault

A shopworker in Hunstanton has told a court of the terrible after-effects on her of an attempted sexual assault.

She says her mental health has suffered, she no longer feels comfortable on her own and won’t come out from behind the shop counter unless a colleague is there.

CCTV has been installed at the premises since the offence by Lynn man Oben Budak.

Lynn Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday that the woman was setting out a sign in front of the shop at about 11.15am on August 9 last year.

Budak, 26, crouched down beside her and went to touch her as she straightened up.

“He tried to reach up her skirt, saying ‘Wahey!’ as he did so,” said prosecutor Denise Holland. “She managed to bat his hand away. She shouted at him to go away.”

A colleague inside the shop heard the shouting and came out to place himself between Budak and the woman.

Budak, of Norfolk Street, told police in interview that he had wanted to touch the victim’s bottom and was sorry for his actions.

At an earlier hearing, he had pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a female aged 16 or over.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, the woman said she had become anxious about many things since the offence and now carried a personal alarm.

“I’m nervous about being out alone and wearing skirts and dresses,” she said, adding that she had lost trust in people around her and often feels like she is being watched or followed.

Alison Muir, mitigating, said the offence had occurred when her client had not been taking medication. He had been living on his own in Hunstanton but was now living with his father.

“He has a mother and sister who live in Turkey. He says he would have been very upset if someone had acted in the same way towards them,” added Miss Muir.

Budak was given a two-year community order with 60 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He was put on the sex offenders’ register for five years and given a two-year restraining order not to contact the victim or her partner and not to enter the shop’s street.

Budak was also fined £120 and ordered to pay £95 victim surcharge.