Man who sexually harassed Cambridge shop staff sentenced

A man who sexually harassed six shop assistants in Cambridge has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Tariq Hemed, 44, entered four shops in Cambridge city centre between 31 January and 14 March earlier this year.

Each time he would approach female members of staff and make sexually suggestive comments and act in a threatening manner.

He was arrested on 19 March and initially claimed he couldn’t remember any of the incidents.

However, he since pleaded guilty to six counts of using threatening behaviour to cause harassment.

Hemed, of Kingsway, Cambridge, was sentenced on Tuesday (28 May) to 12 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months.

He was also ordered to complete 40 days rehabilitation activity requirement and will be subject to a Criminal Behaviour Order application.

PC Gary Nightingale said: “Violence against women and girls is a force priority and while these comments may have seemed harmless to Hemed they have a huge impact.

“Women deserve to be able go into work, and about their daily lives, without fear of men approaching them and making unwanted comments.

“We are doing a huge amount of work as a force to target potential perpetrators and make the streets of Cambridgeshire a hostile place for them”.