A man who thought he could ‘get away with’ touching and trying to kiss a young woman has been jailed.
Robert Winter, aged 35, approached the victim from behind and tried to engage her in conversation as she walked along Ratcliffe Gate, Mansfield, at about 11.30am on Friday May 1 this year.
Winter, who was tracked down and arrested about 15 minutes after police were alerted, suggested to officers he thought he could “get away with it” – adding that he was just being “boisterous “and cheeky.”
Winter, who was found sat at a computer in Mansfield Library, later pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault.
Appearing at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 3 September he was jailed for a total of eight months.
The sentence included the activation of a previous suspended sentence order imposed in August 2025 for possessing a knife, criminal damage and a public order offence.
Winter, of Houfton Road, Mansfield, was also added to the sex offenders’ register for seven years.
Winter caught on CCTV before his arrest
PC Simon Christian, of the Mansfield town centre policing team, said:
“Winter seemed to believe that he could get away with this kind of behaviour.
“He couldn’t and was soon tracked down and arrested with help from members of the public.
“I hope the victim in this case can draw some comfort from this sentence, and that other men with similar attitudes take note of the consequences of this type of behaviour.”
Sergeant Catherine Darby, also of the Mansfield town centre policing team, said:
“This was an excellent response by multiple members of the team – from the PCSO who took the initial account to the officers who made the arrest
“Together – and with support from members of the public – they had the suspect in cuffs about 15 minutes after we first learned of this incident.”
