THE female victim of a sexual assault by another woman in a Newtown pub says she will “never be same person again”.

Tamara Mahon’s victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was sexually assaulted in the Buck Inn pub in Newtown in February last year.

Mahon, 35, was this week ordered to pay her victim £250 compensation and made the subject of a two-year restraining order, and will also be required to notify police of her whereabouts at all times or changes in her personal circumstances, such as change of address or new job, for a period of five years.

Mahon, of Heol Rhedyn, Newtown, was sentenced at Welshpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, April 18, having pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual assault on the same female on February 4, 2022.

Mahon intentionally touched the woman, aged over 16, on a night out after approaching the victim, who had invited the defendant to join her and a friend.

Mahon, who allegedly had “no recollection of anything” during a 4-day period in February 2022, during which time the assaults took place, had initially not entered any pleas, but eventually admitted both charges.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said Mahon tried to kiss her victim, who she did not know, before sexually assaulting her.

“The victim was out at the Buck Inn," she said. "She was socialising that night, playing darts. She was out with a friend.

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“She met the defendant who asked if she could join them. They were all laughing and drinking. The defendant then tried to kiss her and she pulled away, she laughed it off.

“The defendant made a joke about digital penetration. Later, at the bar, the defendant then touched her vagina, once over clothing but the next time it was under her clothing. It was clearly without consent.

“She gave a no comment interview and would not look at CCTV footage of the incident.”

Mrs Tench read from a victim impact statement, in which the victim said: “I can’t begin to explain how much I’ve changed, this has affected me in so many ways.

“I suffered chronic depression even before the assault and had been prescribed medication. I was left in shock and disbelief."

She added: “I have become withdrawn from everyone I love. I am terrified to leave the house and have panic attacks. It got to the point that I wouldn’t even get out of bed had it not been for my kids.

“I will never be the same person again. I was kind to her and she took advantage of that and abused me.”

Mrs Tench said the victim had applied for a restraining order against the defendant, who she said had no previous convictions.

Acting for Mahon, Rob Hanratty, said his client was “extremely remorseful”.

“It was a one-off incident, which caused a very significant amount of trauma,” he said.

“She is the next most traumatised person and she has shown genuine remorse.

“There is no risk of further offending. She has no recollection of the evening’s events. There was a trigger which led to some very heavy drinking and an adoption of an alter ego.“She can’t identify with what happened that night, she finds it difficult to comprehend how she could do something so disgusting. She is horrified by what she did." 

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Magistrates issued Mahon with a two-year community order, with 60 days of rehabilitation activities.

She will be fitted with a 90-day alcohol abstinence monitoring tag, and must pay her victim £250 compensation, plus £85 costs and a £95 surcharge.

Magistrates granted the victim a two-year restraining order.

She will also be made the subject of a notification requirement for five years.