A well-known ultra-marathon runner followed a woman into a toilet in a Co Donegal pub and sexually assaulted her.
Josip Ljubicic, aged 21, appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with the assault on May 20th, 2018.
The court heard that the young woman had gone to the toilet of the Central Bar on Main Street, Letterkenny and went into a cubicle.
When she came out she saw Ljubicic in the toilet and told him he should not be in the women’s toilets.
He then approached her and put his hands on her back and then on her bottom.
She told him he cannot do that and told him to leave the toilets.
However, instead of leaving he then grabbed her in the crotch area, Detective Garda Eoin Waters said.
The woman then told security staff and Ljubicic, of Burnside Park, Letterkenny, was identified on CCTV from the premises.
He was identified and came to Letterkenny Garda station on June 2nd when he was arrested and made partial admissions to the incident.
A victim impact statement was handed into the court and was read by Judge Paul Kelly.
Ljubicic’s solicitor Mr Gordon Curley said his client followed the women into the toilet because he was attracted to her.
He said his client was very sorry for the “hurt, damage and shame” he had caused the woman and that he had no previous convictions in Ireland or in his native Croatia where he had come from two years ago.
He was working as a waiter since coming to Ireland but was now in college doing a media course.
Mr Curley added that Ljubicic was an ultra-marathon runner and travelled a lot to take part in races.
Judge Paul Kelly adjourned the case to October 21st for a probation report.
Mr Curley told Judge Kelly that his client has ultra marathons in London and Connemara in the coming weeks and asked to allow him to travel for them and this was agreed to.