Man convicted of sexual assualt after attacking a woman outside a Gosport restaurant

Jamie Bicknell committed the violent act after drunkenly approaching the woman and grabbing her by the throat and hair.

The assault took place outside in Stoke Road, Gosport on the night of February 2, 2021. Before the attack, he had been asked to leave a nearby restaurant at around 9.50pm for his drunken behaviour, after he ordered some food. He then approached a woman outside and began making inappropriate comments and asking her for sex.

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Portsmouth Crown Court heard that the woman refused and tried to get past Bicknell, before he grabbed her by the throat and continued talking to her. He grabbed her hair before he sexually assaulted her.

CCTV footage showed that Bicknell had travelled by bus from his home on Gregson Avenue before walking to Stoke Road. He had a conversation with the bus driver during his journey - sharing his first name and discussing mutual friends - the details of which allowed police to identify and track him down.

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He denied the sexual assault, and the case went to trial on March 14, 2022 but the jury were unable to reach a verdict then.

A jury unanimously found Bicknell guilty of the sexual assault on Thursday, February 23 following a retrial which began at Portsmouth Crown Court on Monday, February 20.

Bicknell will appear again at the same court for sentencing on Wednesday, March 29.