JOSEPH PURAVADY SENTENCED IN KENSINGTON FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT
A former KFC employee from Kensington was convicted of sexual assault after following a female colleague to a staff room and groping her breasts.The incident occurred when Joseph Puravady, 59, of Clearwater Close, Kensington, deliberately chased the woman to a secluded area he knew she would be alone.
During the hearing at Liverpool Crown Court, Judge Anil Murray described Puravady's actions as "predatory," noting that he approached the woman from behind, rubbed her breasts over her clothing, and attempted to kiss her neck before she managed to escape.
The victim reported the assault, which deeply affected her mental and physical health.
She expressed that she struggled emotionally, found it hard to sleep, lost trust in others, experienced anxiety, and sought help from her GP.
In an attempt to apologize, Puravady's own adult daughter sent a message to the victim asking for forgiveness, a gesture he later claimed was genuine.
Despite his conviction, Puravady denied any wrongdoing and accused the victim of racism, claiming she held a grudge against him.
He also told the jury that her allegations were fabricated, and suggested that her accusations were racially motivated.
The judge rejected these claims, stating, "She was very distressed when asked to recall your behaviour towards her," and emphasized that the victim's suffering demonstrated the seriousness of the assault.
During the proceedings, Puravady was accompanied by an interpreter and supported by his wife and daughter in the courtroom.
His defense lawyer, Brendan Carville, pleaded for the judge to suspend any prison sentence, citing Puravady's poor health and family circumstances, including his wait for heart surgery.
Carville highlighted that Puravady was previously of good character and had been a family man.
The prosecution requested a restraining order on behalf of the victim, which Judge Murray granted for four years.
The judge also noted that Puravady's actions appeared planned, as he followed the woman to the staff room where she was entitled to work without being harassed.
Judge Murray explained that he had considered the victim’s testimony and the pre-sentence report, which described Puravady as having conducted a "predatory" attack.
He pointed out that Puravady's attempts to blame the victim and deny responsibility demonstrated a lack of remorse and made rehabilitation unlikely.
Ultimately, the judge sentenced Puravady to eight months in prison, ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years, and emphasized that his actions had caused significant harm, showing that there was "no realistic prospect of rehabilitation" in this case.
