Warning: This article discusses sexual assault, which may be distressing to some readers.
A UK-based male stripper has been found guilty of sexual assault after a court ruled that he did not obtain proper consent from a client to perform acts such as ‘simulated oral sex’ and touching her breasts.
Stuart Kennedy, from Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, Scotland, is now on the Sex Offenders Register after being convicted for ‘jiggling’ a client’s breasts.
The incident took place at a ‘pizza and Prosecco’ party at the Crieff Hydro Hotel in Perthshire. The 32-year-old woman, who was the bride-to-be, expressed that she was ‘shocked’ and felt coerced into participating in the strip show, according to the Daily Record.
Although she initially refused to partake, it seems the woman from the highlands eventually gave in to the event, which cost £400 and was secretly arranged by one of her sisters.
“The door burst open and slammed hard against the opposite wall,” the woman recounted during the trial. “A man dressed in a firefighter’s uniform came in. I decided I had to grin and bear it and go through it. It’s not my preference, that kind of activity. I didn’t think I was in danger, just that it would be unpleasant and not to my taste,” the outlet reported.
The woman stated she ‘cried’ and ‘panicked’ in front of her 15 friends and tried to signal to Kennedy that she was not participating willingly.
In court, the woman testified that the costumed performer, 42, forced his hands between her thighs and made her simulate giving him oral sex.
“I started to comply with him because I didn’t know what he was going to do next. He still had his trousers on. He had sewn a fake erection into the crotch. It felt like a bean bag. He was fiddling with the button on my shirt at one point. At my cleavage. There was more grinding against my thigh. I was trying to keep my legs together.”
She further alleged he approached her from behind to ‘grab both [her] breasts and jiggled them about’—allegations Kennedy denied.
Kennedy claimed the woman’s breasts may have moved during a routine to Village People’s YMCA, but denied further allegations of repeated inappropriate contact, attempts to kiss her, and other charges, as reported by The Mirror.
Kennedy was backed by the woman’s younger sister, who told authorities she enjoyed the event and didn’t recall anything occurring outside the norm for a stripper at a hen party.
Conversely, the woman’s middle sister expressed regret over hiring Kennedy from AlphaMale Strippers & Butlers.
“He stood her up at one point and reached around and grabbed her boobs aggressively,” the 28-year-old testified.
“I remember it took my breath away a wee bit, because I just didn’t think that was right. It was not long after that she left, she ran out the room and locked herself in the bathroom.”
Sheriff Paul Reid stated in court that he was ‘satisfied’ that the defendant touched the solicitor’s breasts and found her testimony ‘clear and corroborated’.
“Witnesses spoke to being taken aback by what happened. There was the complainer’s evidence of immediate distress that brought the whole show to an end,” Reid said, according to the Daily Record.
“I do not accept that he could have had a reasonable belief that he had consent. It was clear she was deeply uncomfortable with the performance.
“Nothing could have given him the impression she consented to being touched in that manner. His activity towards the complainer from when she sat in the chair in the middle of the room was plainly sexual.”
Reid confirmed that the victim did not give Kennedy her ‘free agreement’ for him to touch her breasts, simulate oral sex, touch his fake penis, or drink out of a phallic-shaped straw.
“I am not satisfied he took any reasonable steps to ascertain consent was continuing throughout his performance,” he continued, describing the conviction as a ‘narrow decision’.
The prosecutor stated that had Kennedy obtained consent for his actions, ‘no crime would have been committed’.
“The onus is on the person in Mr Kennedy’s position to check they have consent for what they are doing. He did not do what was required of him by law,” he added.
Kennedy, who has been a ‘professional entertainer’ for nearly 20 years, argued that he ‘only ever had nothing but good reviews’ and considered his firefighter act a ‘beautiful gift’.
However, the court heard that he had a previous conviction for a similar offense while on the job.
He claimed that the media coverage and his prior conviction had somehow ‘boosted’ his business.
Kennedy was cautioned about the possibility of facing jail time due to his past conviction.
According to MailOnline, Kennedy has appeared on breakfast television to talk about his role as an unregulated sperm donor and was previously acquitted of rape charges in Aberdeen’s High Court this June.
If you have been affected by any of the issues discussed in this article, you can reach out to The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673), available 24/7, or chat online at online.rainn.org.