An Aberdeen University student who sexually assaulted a young woman during a Hogmanay party has been added to the sex offenders register.
Dominic Gallo asked the woman if she “wanted to call a taxi” before taking her into his bedroom and assaulting her, Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told.
The 23-year-old kissed and groped her without her consent while she was incapacitated at a flat on Castle Terrace in Aberdeen on New Year’s Day last year.
Gallo pled guilty to one charge of sexual assault last month and background reports were ordered.
His victim later told police that she “considered herself to be drunk” and had continued to consume alcohol and a form of popper inhalant drug.
‘You are really drunk’
Gallo had approached the woman in his flat hallway and asked her if she wanted to call a taxi from within his bedroom where it was quieter.
“The last thing she remembers is being on her back and the accused kissing her on the lips and touching her buttocks,” fiscal depute David Ballock said.
“She felt dazed and he said: ‘You are really drunk, I feel bad. Do you want me to stop?’
“She was still dazed but replied: ‘I’m so drunk’.”
Girl ran away and told friends
Gallo continued to kiss and grope the girl until someone entered the room, at which point she immediately got up and ran out of the room.
The young woman then became upset and started crying before telling two friends that Gallo had touched her inappropriately.
She later told a senior lecturer at Aberdeen University and the incident was reported to the police.
Defence agent Iain Hingston said that a social worker’s recommendation that Gallo carries out the Moving Forward, Making Changes rehabilitation programme was “quite appropriate”.
Sheriff Graham Buchanan agreed and suggested he did not believe any additional unpaid work needed to be ordered given the programme is “quite taxing and takes quite a considerable amount of time to be completed”.
‘This is an alternative to custody’
He ordered Gallo to carry out the rehab programme and remain under the supervision of social workers for three years.
Gallo was warned: “This is an alternative to custody so you should understand very clearly that if you don’t cooperate fully with this order then you will be brought back to court.
“If it was found you had not done your best to cooperate there would be a serious risk you will be given a custodial sentence.”
Gallo, of Claremont Place, Aberdeen, was also placed on the sex offenders register.
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