streets of Hamilton and then molested her.

Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis ordered a social inquiry report on one of the two men who pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful and indecent assault.

Seventeen-year-old Joeshon Russell of Pembroke Park Lane admitted that he and a second man stalked the young woman through the city last month.

The second man involved in the incident fled the Magistrates' Court building shortly before yesterday's case was heard. A warrant was later issued for his arrest.

Police Insp. Peter Duffy, prosecuting, said that in the late evening of August 28, the 25-year-old victim was walking down Richmond Road towards the city when Russell and his friend began to follow her.

Insp. Duffy said that they repeatedly asked her in an obscene manner if she had ever had sex with a black man, and if she would like to try it. Despite the woman's requests to be left alone, the two began to grab at her.

The men alternately touched her buttocks, and reached up her dress.

The woman lashed out at them and hurried towards the 24-hour Esso gas station, where Russell and his friend disappeared from view.

Believing she was out of danger, the victim continued on her way, but was again confronted by the pair near the entrance to Par-La-Ville parking lot.

They continued to grab at her and attempted to put their hands up her dress.

The woman managed to get away from her attackers once she reached the more brightly-lit Queen Street area.

After arriving at her Reid Street destination, Police were called. Acting on the descriptions provided, officers took Russell in for questioning at the Hamilton Station, where he fully admitted the offence.

Russell told Police the only reason he and and his friend had stopped the assault on Richmond Road was because of the open gas station. He also said he squeezed the woman's buttocks because "it was fun'' and he was "in a good mood''.

Russell said that they would have assaulted any woman who had happened to walk by.

Mr. Francis told Russell that he was granting bail and delaying sentencing until the social inquiry only because of his age.