Northern Ireland

'Coward and bully' (39) jailed for forcing way into woman's house and grabbing her in 'sleazy hug'

Frank O'Hagan (39) was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered him to sign the sex offences register for seven years
Frank O'Hagan (39) was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered him to sign the sex offences register for seven years Frank O'Hagan (39) was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered him to sign the sex offences register for seven years

A man with two convictions for forcing his way into women's houses and hugging them has been told by a judge he is "an inadequate man, a coward and a bully".

Frank O'Hagan (39), of Clon Elagh in Derry, was given a probation order for the first sexual assault in October 2016.

He was convicted of a similar offence on August 5 this year.

Derry Magistrates Court was told that on October 2 2016 he came to the door of a house and knocked on a window.

The woman opened the door believing it was a friend of her son and then realised she did not know O'Hagan.

As she tried to close the door he stopped her, shouting "Let me in, let me in."

The woman shouted for her son but O'Hagan grabbed her from behind and pulled her towards him, saying "Give me a hug, give me a kiss".

He then grabbed her by the throat and tried to turn her head round.

The victim's daughter came to the top of the stairs and got her son, who came down and pushed O' Hagan out into the street.

He was seen trying to get over a fence into another property before returning and being chased away by the son.

The court also heard today that on August 5 this year, a woman was on her balcony when she saw two men, one of them O'Hagan, below.

He asked her for a cigarette and she threw him down one.

O'Hagan then opened her door and came in but she managed to get her foot behind it to stop him.

O'Hagan began complimenting the woman and told her "I am not a rapist."

The victim said he made her feel "very uncomfortable".

He then asked her for a hug and when she said no, he grabbed her in what the woman described as a "sleazy hug".

She told police she "feared he would escalate things in a sexual way".

Defence barrister Eoghain Devlin said O'Hagan had spent some time in custody and had completed 11 months of his probation.

Deputy District Judge Sean O'Hare said he was concerned that O'Hagan had re-offended and had shown "a complete lack of engagement with probation".

Mr Devlin said the offences were at the "lesser end of the spectrum" and said his client had difficulties with alcohol which had fuelled the offences.

Judge O'Hare said the behaviour was "disgraceful and self-righteous".

In relation to the 2018 offence he sentenced O'Hagan to six months in prison, ordered him to sign the sex offences register for seven years and imposed a sexual offences prevention order for seven years.

For the breach of probation he sentenced him to four months in prison suspended for two years and imposed a restraining order preventing him having any contact with either woman for five years.