Derry man who sexually assaulted nurse given suspended sentence and ordered to pay £4,000 in compensation

A man who sexually assaulted a nurse, who came to give him an injection, has been given a suspended sentence at Derry Magistrate's Court and ordered to pay £4,000 in compensation. 

Giacomin Massimo (46) of Bishop Street in Derry admitted a charge of sexual assault on a female on September 20 last year.

The court heard that two nurses called at the defendant's address to give him an injection. 

As one of the nurses was entering the premises she had to turn sideways to get past the defendant and as she did so Massimo placed his hand on her upper inner thigh and groped her with his fingers. 

The nurse pushed him away and he apologised and said you didn't want me to do that. 

He made full admissions to police. 

Defence counsel Stephen Mooney said that there was no doubt his client had committed a serious offence. 

He described the incident as 'fleeting' and said it involved one act of touching. 

Mr Mooney said that his client had serious mental health issues and these were exacerbated by his 'voluntary consumption of cocaine'. 

District Judge Barney McElholm hit out at the lack of provision of mental health facilities saying the concept of care in the community was 'the biggest lie told by a government to the people.' 

He said all that resulted in was people being released onto the streets. 

He said there was not a lot he could do with some like Massimo as putting him in prison would serve no good as the sentencing powers were' totally inadequate '. 

The judge said it was a serious sexual assault that had affected the life of the nurse involved. 

He said he was' reluctantly' imposing a sentence of four months suspended for three years, ordered Massimo to pay £4,000 in compensation and to sign the Sex Offender's Register for a period of seven years.