Jordan Clarke squeezed Barrow supermarket worker's bum

Jordan Clarke, 29, squeezed the woman’s bottom twice at a store in Barrow, prosecutor Kristian Cavanagh said.

Mr Cavanagh told Preston Crown Court the assault occurred in 2022 while the victim was bending over to offer assistance to the defendant and another male.

He said: “The woman was the only staff member working in the aisle at the time when two men were messing with cheese.

“The defendant touched her bottom with his hand and squeezed it a couple of times whilst she was bending over to a bottom shelf to offer her assistance.”

The court heard the woman ran to her manager in tears as a result of the incident.

Mr Cavanagh said Clarke then pushed her manager in the chest when he asked him to leave.

In her victim impact statement, the woman described the defendant’s behaviour as ‘disgraceful, disrespectful and disgusting’ and said she now felt ‘uncomfortable’ at work.

She added the defendant’s behaviour was ‘not something you would expect to see in modern day society’.

Clarke, of Egerton Court in Barrow, was sentenced after pleading guilty to intentionally touching a woman aged 16 or over and assault by beating.

David Trainor, representing Clarke, said: “This is very poor behaviour in drink that no-one should have to tolerate. He no longer drinks and is open to receiving help.

“He has nothing sexual on his record and hopes when this has died down that he will be able to get back into work and stay out of trouble.”

The court heard Clarke had 12 previous convictions for 16 offences including for battery.

Sentencing the defendant to a nine-month community order, Her Honour Judge Sarah O’Brien said: “No woman going about her business should be touched by a man on her bottom.

"She could not have described your offending any better.”

As part of the order, Clarke was required to complete 80 hours of unpaid work, 15 RAR days and a six-month alcohol treatment requirement.

A three-year restraining order was also imposed by the judge.