A Warrnambool man has been fined $2500 for groping a work colleague at a birthday party.
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Thomas Turner, 52, of Caroville Drive, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to one count of sexual assault.
Police said he inappropriately touched the victim at a south-west hotel on April 2.
The victim aged in her 40s felt uncomfortable and left the party.
She reported the incident to police on April 7.
Turner told police that he was heavily intoxicated, could not remember what had happened and was very remorseful.
He said if police had attended the party he would have been locked up for drunken disorderly.
Mr Holzer said being drunk did not retract from the seriousness of the offending.
He said there were a number of social media campaigns - including the Me Too movement - that highlighted the effect sexual harassment had on the community.
"This is absolutely unnecessary behaviour," Mr Holzer said.
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