HARPAL DHILLON FROM SINFIN INVOLVED IN SHOCKING SEXUAL ASSAULT AT ALVASTON STORE

In May 2023, a disturbing incident unfolded involving a shopkeeper from Sinfin, Derby, who was accused of sexually assaulting two underage girls at a store located in Alvaston. The events came to light during a court hearing at Derby Crown Court, revealing a series of troubling actions committed by Harpal Dhillon, aged 35, against two teenage girls who had entered his shop to purchase alcohol.

According to court proceedings, Dhillon engaged in inappropriate and sexualized behavior towards the two 15-year-old girls. The court heard that after allowing one of the girls to use the toilet, Dhillon proceeded to lock the shop’s shutters, effectively trapping the girls inside. It was during this period that he touched the girls in a sexual manner, including touching their breasts and backsides. The first girl, upon being subjected to Dhillon’s comments and actions, quickly ran out of the shop after he made an inappropriate remark, saying, “you’ve got big boobs.” The second girl, witnessing her friend fleeing, also decided to leave, exclaiming, “let’s run.”

Following their escape, the girls reported the incident to their mothers, describing the distressing experience and the inappropriate conduct of Dhillon. The police were subsequently called to investigate the allegations. During the court hearing, Judge Shaun Smith KC condemned Dhillon’s behavior, describing it as “disgusting” and emphasizing the exploitation of vulnerable young women. The judge stated, “What you did was disgusting behaviour towards two young women. You took advantage of them in that shop and they must have been pretty scared about what you were doing and how you were treating them.”

In sentencing, Judge Smith acknowledged the seriousness of the offense, noting that the starting point for such a case would typically be a high-level community order. Dhillon was handed a two-year community order, which included requirements for him to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and attend 55 rehabilitation sessions with the probation service. Additionally, he was ordered to participate in a 43-day program aimed at addressing his offending behavior, placed on the sex offender register for five years, and subjected to a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

Prosecutor Jonathon Dee provided further context, revealing that the offenses dated back to January 2019, over four years prior to the court hearing. At that time, Dhillon was working at a store on Shardlow Road, Alvaston, where the two girls, then aged 15, entered to buy vodka, knowing that the shop was a place where they could purchase alcohol. Dhillon sold them a small bottle of Smirnoff and some soft drinks, after which the girls went to a nearby park to drink. They later returned to the store, where Dhillon offered them a free creme egg. One of the girls asked to use the toilet, leaving her friend with Dhillon. It was during this visit that Dhillon locked the shop’s shutters and engaged in inappropriate touching, including touching the first girl’s bottom and telling her she was “a beautiful girl.”

The prosecutor detailed how Dhillon rolled a cannabis joint and gave it to the girls, then moved to the back of the shop where he touched the second girl’s breasts and made the comment about her “big boobs.” The second girl then ran out, followed by her friend, who expressed concern about Dhillon’s attempts to get her to touch his private parts. The girls later confided in their mothers about the incident. Dhillon was arrested and responded with “no comment” during police interviews. He later pleaded guilty to sexual assault charges.

Harpal Dhillon, of Willowherb Close, was thus convicted and sentenced for his actions, which have caused significant distress to the victims. The court’s decision reflects the gravity of the offense and the importance of safeguarding young individuals from exploitation and abuse.