Trucker pleads guilty to sexually assaulting woman at Dublin hotel

Man had been put out of hotel before returning and sexually assaulting woman

Rafal Bendowski pleaded guilty to sexual assault

March 08 2022 02:30 AM

---

A TRUCK driver sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel by grabbing her breast as she made her way to her room.

Rafal Bendowski (40) had been earlier put out of the hotel before he returned and groped the guest as she walked down a corridor.

The case was adjourned for gardaí to ask the woman, who did not know the accused, if she wished to make a victim impact statement.

Bendowski, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to sexual assault.

Dublin District Court heard the incident happened at a hotel in the north of the city on September 3 last year.

Shortly after the victim checked in to the hotel that afternoon, she was walking to her first-floor room when she was approached in the corridor by the accused, who was unknown to her.

He reached out and intentionally and forcefully grabbed her breast before walking away, Garda Sergeant Michelle Lynch said.

The accused was subsequently identified on CCTV. Bendowski had been a guest at the hotel the previous night but had been removed earlier on the morning of September 3 following a request from staff, the court heard.

The DPP consented to the case being dealt with in the district court.

Bendowski had no previous convictions recorded but was given the benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act last November for being drunk in public and causing criminal damage at another hotel.

Defence barrister Donal Pattison said the accused had surrendered his passport to gardaí and would be requesting its return so he could get employment to save up money for compensation to offer the victim.

The accused worked as a truck driver, Mr Pattison said.

Judge Smyth adjourned the case to later this month for the injured party to be canvassed about making a victim impact statement.

Bendowski was remanded on continuing bail.