naomi24 - obviously the woman involved - and the legal system, fail to see this as a 'stupid indiscretion'.
What is apparent is that enough evidence was amassed to bring a case - and these are only brought to court if there is a more than reasonable chance of a conviction.
What is also apparent is that a jury who have heard the evidence - which none of us have - judged the assault to be serious enough to merit a guilty verdict.
So although it may appear to outsiders as 'something that went on at the time', or, as you phrase it, a 'stupid indisrection', it appears to the people who actually know something about it, that it was far more than that.