Judge rules that student’s ‘thank you’ hug was sexual assault

A student wearing traditional Pakistani dress who asked a fellow student in UCC for directions was in court yesterday over a sexual assault conviction that arose from what he claimed was a ‘thank you’ hug.

Muhammad Tabassum, aged 36, who lives in an apartment at Patrick’s Hill, Cork, is doing a PhD on biofuels in UCC.

Judge Olann Kelleher said: “I am totally satisfied with the complainant’s evidence. Unfortunately she ends up in this situation while trying to be helpful.