A “PREDATOR” was told she displayed an “arrogance” when she cornered a woman in a nightclub toilet and put her hand up her skirt.

Jennifer Mallee, 26, told her victim she “wanted to try” her before cornering her in a cubicle in Cameo night club, Bournemouth.

Mallee, of Northcote Road, Bournemouth, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for sentencing on Thursday, May 19.

Prosecuting, Ellie Fargin told the court the victim and defendant were on a night out in Cameo on January 20, 2019.

Shortly after 3am, the pair went to the toilets and after Mallee took a while to re-emerge, the victim knocked on her cubicle and asked if she was okay.

Mallee then sat on the toilet seat and pulled her pants to her ankles and asked the victim if she wanted to perform a sexual act on her.

The victim said no, at which point Mallee stood up and pressed her hand on the door and put her hand up the victim’s skirt in an ordeal which lasted around 20 seconds.

She managed to escape the toilet and was picked up from the club and told police of the incident but didn’t want to pursue the case.

Months later, however, after receiving counselling, she decided to make a formal complaint to police.

Reading her statement, the victim said: “I used to be a social butterfly, now I have got so much anxiety about going out, I have to reject plans with friends.

“I used to have a lot of trust in women, now I see them as predators as much as I see men as predators.

“I decided to pick up the case again. To get closure, I needed to get proper justice for what happened to me.”

Mitigating Audrey Archer said Mallee had the matter had been “hanging over” her since 2020 and she was sorry for the incident.

She said the defendant worked 40 hours a week at McDonalds and was “hardworking”.

Judge Jonathan Fuller QC sentenced Mallee to a 12-month community order with a requirement to carry out 200 hours unpaid work.

He said: “There was aberration by you while under the influence of drink.

“It was a one-off, there was however, either an arrogance by you or a misplaced sense of entitlement.”

Mallee was also ordered to pay £500 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service and was placed on the sex offender's list with a notification requirement of five years.

Detective Sergeant Shane Grant, of Bournemouth CID, said: “This was an extremely difficult ordeal for the victim and I would like to praise their strength and courage in reporting this incident to the police.

"Dorset Police takes sexual offences very seriously and we will always listen to and support anyone who reports matters to us.

“I hope this case will encourage other victims of sexual offences to come forward and report offences to us, in the knowledge that they will be fully supported and we will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.”

If you have been a victim of rape or sexual assault, and you want to report directly to the police please call 101 and ask to be put in contact with a specially-trained police officer. Always dial 999 in an emergency.

Alternatively, you can contact The Shores Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 0800 970 9954. 

For more information visit The Shores - Supporting the victims of Rape or Serious Sexual Assault (the-shores.org.uk)