A hospital security guard who laughed after rubbing his groin against a member of staff’s backside as she bent over to pick up her identity card has been spared jail.
Christopher Falzon was working at Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham when he molested the woman in the summer of 2021.
She could feel his erection and promptly swore at him, but the 40-year-old just laughed and continued to make sexual comments, Maidstone Crown Court heard.
The matter was reported to police and, during a search of his home, a laptop was seized on where more than 700 child abuse images were found.
Falzon, of Rock Avenue, Gillingham, was later charged with sexual assault, making indecent photographs of children and possessing prohibited images.
In total, there were 217 category A images, 205 of category B, and 298 of category C depicting both pubescent and pre-pubescent boys and girls, as well as six prohibited images of children.
He went on to claim others at work had access to the laptop but was subsequently convicted following a trial.
Appearing for sentencing on all matters on Monday (August 4), Recorder Vivian Walters told Falzon his sexual assault victim had suffered “a very disturbing ordeal” as a result of his “persistent behaviour”.
The court also heard that in February this year, he had not only been assessed as being a high risk of harm to females but had also “failed to take responsibility” for his offending in respect of the abuse images.
But the judge added that in balancing the risk posed with the prospect of rehabilitation, she could come down in his favour and spare him immediate custody.
Explaining her decision, she told Falzon: “It seems to me the fact you have no previous convictions and have committed no further offences since 2021 justifies me doing so in these circumstances.”
She urged him, however, to work with probation in order to rehabilitate himself.
“Some of this work needs to come from you. There are people there to help you but you have to engage,” she added.
Falzon, who sat in the dock crying, replied “I promise to do my best” and, when warned of the consequences if he did not comply, he told Recorder Walters: “I don’t want to come before you again.”
As well as being handed a 15-month jail term suspended for two years, he was ordered to undertake up to 30 rehabilitation activity requirements and be subject to trail monitoring – the use of a GPS ankle tag – for five months.
Falzon must also pay £1,000 towards prosecution costs, and is required to sign on the sex offender register for 10 years. A sexual harm prevention order was imposed for the same time period.
