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Repeat Sex Offender Conor Hodgkins Jailed for Portsmouth Sexual Assault
A 35-year-old repeat sex offender who claimed asking an unknown woman for oral sex and aggressively grabbing her did not amount to sexual assault has been sentenced to 15 months in prison.
Conor Hodgkins, of no fixed abode and currently held at HMP Winchester, was found guilty of sexual assault at the Isle of Wight Crown Court on 12 June 2026. He appeared via video link.
The court heard that on 7 July 2025 at around 5.30pm, Hodgkins targeted a woman on Winston Churchill Avenue in Portsmouth. He followed her, made sexual noises, then grabbed her shoulders aggressively and said: “I want to f**k you.”
The woman was left frightened and tried to fight him off. Passing motorists stopped to assist her. Hodgkins fled the scene.
Hodgkins has 42 previous convictions for 90 offences, including a sexual assault in 2015, and had breached court restrictions on three occasions. His last known address was in Southsea.
Representing himself, Hodgkins denied the offence and accused the prosecutor of lying. He told the court the woman was wearing a short skirt and that he asked her for oral sex after she “looked his way”, but she did not answer and carried on walking. He admitted being under the influence of drugs but claimed he only put his arm around her and did not grab her shoulders.
Hodgkins said: “I just want to put it all past me now. I have been in jail for 12 months. I have never stalked anyone in my life.”
He also denied his 2015 conviction, claiming he had merely “pushed a woman by the chest” who was “harassing” him.
Judge David Melville rejected Hodgkins’ account and sentenced him to 15 months’ imprisonment. However, due to time already served on remand since July 2025, the judge stated Hodgkins had “almost certainly served his sentence already” and is expected to be released shortly.
A 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) was imposed. Hodgkins must not approach unknown women, engage in sexual activity in public, or behave in a way that could cause harassment, alarm or distress.