Female sex attacker who flashed boobs outside court jailed for groping taxi driver Lynn Birch lifted her top up and shouted "put that on Page 3" after she was convicted of sexual assault last month
Flash: Lynn Birch, 40, whipped her top up to reveal her bare breasts to a local newspaper photographer as she left Rotherham Magistrates Court A female sex attacker who exposed her breasts to a photographer outside court has been jailed for groping a taxi driver.
Lynn Birch lifted her top up and shouted "put that on Page 3" after she was convicted of sexual assault last month.
The 40-year-old was filmed groping a taxi driver seconds after getting in his cab in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, in October.
Birch arrived more than an hour late at court on Monday – four days after proceedings were deferred when she turned up late and apparently drunk for her sentencing hearing.
After being sentenced to three-and-a-half months in jail at Rotherham Magistrates Court, Birch said: "It's all right – I deserve it."
Jailed: Birch received a sentence of 14 weeks in prison and was ordered to sign the sex offenders' register for seven years District Judge, Mr Jonathan Traafe, was shown CCTV footage of the incident where a visibly drunk Birch can be seen asking the driver: "Do you want a s***?"
When the driver said: "My missus wouldn't be happy," Birch replied: "That's not my problem. If you don't, you don't. It doesn't bother me."
She then asked: "So do you want it or not?" before reaching over and groping between the cabbie's legs for several seconds, before rubbing her right breast with her hand and moaning suggestively.
The driver added: "You're going the wrong way about this," at which Birch became angry and shouted that she was "not a child".
The driver asked Birch if she was a "working girl", to which Birch said: "You're not listening to me. I just want you to listen to me."
The drunk mum then became visibly angry, raising her voice and swearing at the cabbie, who cannot be identified for legal reasons.
Birch initially denied one count of sexual assault, claiming the driver misheard her and insisting she only touched his leg.
She also told police she had touched her bra rather than her breast, adding that the underwear was "like a comfort blanket".
Rude: The judge said the flashing incident was a "direct insult to the court and to the victim" But she changed her plea on learning that a dashboard camera had filmed the whole exchange.
Mr Mark Hughes, prosecuting, said the victim had lost significant earnings and was "close to a breakdown".
Ms Hester Russell, mitigating for Birch, called her "a vulnerable and damaged woman".
Ms Russell said: "Miss Birch been a victim of domestic violence and struggled with alcohol for many years.
"When she viewed the CCTV she was tearful and absolutely disgusted with her behaviour."
Ms Russell added that Birch moved away from friends and family when the Bedroom Tax meant she could no longer afford to rent her home.
One of her new neighbours is antisocial and abusive, she claims, while her mum and daughter have both cut ties with her in recent weeks.
Ms Russell said: "She has dealt with this the only way she knows – by consuming alcohol.
"Far from improving the situation, it went from bad to worse."
Ms Russell said Birch exposed herself outside court to divert attention from her nervous mum, who attended with her on that day.
Ms Russell said: "Miss Birch bitterly regrets this and she realises she made the situation far worse.
"A sober Miss Birch realises members of the public would find her behaviour very upsetting.
"What she needs at the present time is someone to talk to, but the people she would like to talk to no longer want to talk to her. She needs professional help."
Judge Taaffe sentenced Birch to 14 weeks in prison and ordered her to sign the sex offenders' register for seven years.
He said: "You have committed a serious assault on a vulnerable victim. He is vulnerable because he is doing a public duty.
"Your actions damaged that individual and could have damaged others as he was in control of a lethal weapon – a car."
"You have consistently shown a lack of sympathy. You have pleaded guilty on the day of the trial.
"You have turned up late on more than one occasion, you have come drunk and you exposed your breasts on the court steps.
"That is a direct insult to the court and to the victim, who gets the impression you just do not care."
source:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fe ... ed-5199030
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