By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A DOVETON man has pleaded guilty to sexual assault after knocking on an 82-year-old woman’s door and pashing her on her doorstep.
At Dandenong Magistrates’ Court, Ian Ruben Wickson, 67, denied the woman’s claims that he inserted his tongue during the unsolicited kiss in the early evening of 13 November.
Wickson had told police he believed the woman – a nearby neighbour – wanted to be kissed, and had intended to invite her to his house and have sex with her.
He’d also believed she was a similar age, the court heard on 22 March.
Police prosecutors told the court that the victim, who lives with her sister, answered the front door just after tea.
The resident motioned to Wickson that she didn’t have her hearing aids in as he briefly spoke to her.
She believed Wickson was asking about the hard rubbish on her nature strip, police told the court.
As she bent down to restrain her barking dogs, Wickson then placed his hands on her face and kissed her on the lips.
Wickson’s lawyer initially argued it was an unlawful assault, rather than a sexual offence.
“His intention was to go away and have sex back at his house but it was not his intention to have sexual gratification from the kissing.”
Magistrate Jack Vandersteen said by “common sense” and “the entire circumstances” it was a sexual assault.
“(Wickson) admitted sexual gratification was behind it.
“He doesn’t even really verbally communicate with her then touches her very spontaneously in that way.”
Mr Vandersteen said the victim was likely to be “quite staunch” about the events if required to testify.
“Do you think an 82-year-old is going to buckle under cross-examination?”
He noted that Wickson appeared to have no insight into his offence but had no prior convictions.
“I don’t know if there is some pre-planning.
“Obviously there’s some thought process behind it. There’s not much logic.”
Department of Corrections assessed Wickson as suitable for a community-based order, with a medium risk of re-offending.
Wickson was bailed for sentencing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 5 May, pending a private assessment of his re-offending risk.
Mr Vandersteen said he wanted to ensure the accused posed no further risk to the community.
As a bail condition, Wickson was ordered not to approach or contact the victim or her home.
“I won’t go back there again,” Wickson told the magistrate.
