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Student ‘sexually assaulted at front door by man in dress and silver wig’

Caught on camera: Mark Brown, in a wig and dress, leaving his north London home before following his 18-year-old alleged victim after a freshers' week night out
Caught on camera: Mark Brown, in a wig and dress, leaving his north London home before following his 18-year-old alleged victim after a freshers' week night out

A man wearing a dress and silver wig stalked a first-year university student through the streets before sexually assaulting her on her own doorstep, a court was told.

Mark Brown, 30, was caught on camera leaving his home in north London to follow his 18-year-old alleged victim as she headed home from a freshers’ week night out with friends.

He is alleged to have approached the young woman as she reached her house, grabbing her from behind and carrying out a sexual assault before pushing her to the ground and fleeing.

Brown denied being the person in the CCTV footage wearing “dark-coloured women’s clothing and shiny silver wig”. However, he has now accepted he was the man wearing the dress and wig, but claims he followed the young woman in the hope of robbing her rather than carrying out a sexual assault.

“[Brown] targeted this young woman as she made her way home from a night out,” Emma Smith, prosecuting, told Wood Green crown court. “She told the police that she had been out at a freshers’ event with friends at a nightclub. Her route home took her past where the defendant lives, and within 30 seconds of her passing his address the defendant hurriedly left his own home. He was a distinctive figure, dressed in female clothing in a short dress and wearing a long wig.”

Ms Wood said Brown tapped the student on the shoulder or back as she reached to open the front door, before grabbing her from behind as she tried to turn to face him. “She shouted to her attacker to f*** off but he pushed her to the ground before he left the scene,” Ms Smith added.

Police found CCTV showing Brown leaving his home just before the attack at 3.45am on September 20 last year, and returning afterwards, the court heard. Ms Smith said he claimed to have bought the wig for fancy dress and denied it was him. “His account has now changed,” she added. “He accepts he followed the woman to her front door, and claims he was intending to rob her.”

Brown denies sexual assault. The trial continues.

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