Chester man spared prison for series of sexual assaults on women

A CHESTER man who pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of three women has received a suspended sentence and will sign the sex offenders register.Curtis Clarke, 29, of Catharine Street, appeared at Chester Magistrates’ Court on Friday, July 4.Clarke previously pleaded guilty to three offences on June 6, relating to incidents between August 9 and September 14, 2023.The cases involved three separate women on different occasions. The first victim, on August 9, was followed outside a convenience store on Garden Lane where Clarke grabbed her leg and touched her thighs before running away when she screamed.A second woman encountered Clarke on August 26, who ran towards her, made a remark, and then groped her in an intimate area.On September 14, a student was walking to university when Clarke assaulted her in a similar manner, approaching her from behind and repeating the incident later.The prosecution noted Clarke had no prior convictions except juvenile matters and two victims applied for restraining orders. The offences were close in time and location, heightening the seriousness.The defense described Clarke’s background, mentioning significant trauma, substance use, and potential mental health issues, suggesting he needed rehabilitation.Magistrates considered custody but ultimately imposed a 12-month sentence suspended for two years, with mandatory rehabilitation and alcohol treatment, and placed Clarke on a 10-year sex offender register. Restraining orders for two victims were granted, and Clarke was ordered to pay court costs and a surcharge.