Retired car salesman groped woman’s bottom during birthday in pub, court told

A retired car salesman groped two women in a pub as he celebrated his 80th birthday, a court was told.

Jaime Arrochela Lobo slipped his hand up one woman’s skirt and then grabbed her friend twice on the bottom in St Christopher’s Inn, London Bridge.

He later told police he had had “plenty” to drink and had no memory of attacking the women.

The first victim, in her early twenties, told Croydon magistrates’ court she initially felt sorry for Lobo: “The people in the pub were in their twenties and thirties. I turned away and a minute later I felt his hand up my skirt.”

She said she confronted Lobo, calling him “disgusting”, in the early hours of March 25. “I felt vulnerable, angry and violated.”

Her friend, also in her twenties, said: “This man came up behind me and touched my bottom so I turned around and told him not to do that. Later on, the same man did it again.”

She added that she then found her friend “very distraught, crying, lots of tears — she was really upset”.

Lobo, who has had heart valve replacement surgery and a pacemaker fitted, told officers he suffers from involuntary shakes.

Magistrates convicted the pensioner, who lives in Paddington, of sexually assaulting the two women. They will pass sentence on October 18.