A cleaner who subjected a work colleague to a sustained sexual assault has been handed a suspended sentence.

El Houcine Hachemi denied the offence but was found guilty after a summary court trial.

Magistrates sentenced the 33-year-old to 18 weeks’ custody, suspended for two years, and put him under supervision for two years.

Hachemi was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation to the victim, plus £1,525 prosecution costs, and given a two-year restraining order.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that the victim was working with Hachemi as a cleaner in June 2024.

They went to the Manx Electric Railway in Laxey, and the woman showed Hachemi photos of herself and her partner on her phone.

However, he tried to take the phone and asked her if she had any sex videos.

Hachemi, who lives at Belmont Terrace in Douglas, stroked the woman’s leg, which prompted her to end the conversation and finish the cleaning.

As they walked back to the vehicle, he then took hold of her by the waist and tried to get her into the back.

They then went to Strathallan MER station, and as the woman was cleaning the disabled toilet, Hachemi entered and locked the door.

He asked her: ‘What would you do if you were locked in with me all night long?’

She got out but Hachemi started touching her waist and stomach, then pushed her up against a radiator and pressed his body against hers.

They then went to clean Battery Pier toilets, but during the journey, Hachemi asked the victim how she felt about what had happened so far on their shift.

She told him she was shocked by his behaviour.

At Battery Pier, the victim stayed in the car as Hachemi completed the job alone.

Their final job was at Douglas Yacht Club, and whilst there, Hachemi approached the victim from behind and put his hands on her stomach.

She moved away, but he then pursued her through the building, before picking her up off the ground with one hand under her legs and the other under her back.

He put her down but then pushed her up against a tile wall, restrained her arm behind her back, and pulled her hair with his other hand, forcibly kissing her.

The woman said ‘no’ repeatedly, but Hachemi then put his hands around her throat and started kissing her neck.

When their shift ended she told her family and friends.

In a victim impact statement, the woman said she had suffered flashbacks, anxiety, panic attacks, and nightmares since the incident.

Defence advocate Paul Glover handed in references and said that his client had no previous convictions, so it was out of character.

Mr Glover said Hachemi had work lined up if he wasn’t sent to prison and that the offence was now over 18 months ago, with no repetitions.

Magistrates told Hachemi: ‘This must have been incredibly distressing.

‘You made her feel incredibly uncomfortable, violated, and mistreated.’

He will pay all amounts at a rate of £100 per month.