A businessman, accused of drunkenly groping and slapping a young woman’s bum in the exclusive Lord’s pavilion, was arrested a year later using a forged deceased member’s card during an Ashes test match, a court heard yesterday.
Cleaning company boss James Lattimer, 51, a member of the Dorset Chamber of Commerce, admits he had been drinking heavily, but denies groping the woman’s rear.
Lattimer, of Green Road, Winton, Bournemouth appeared for the first time today at Westminster Magistrates Court.
He pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting the woman at Lord’s Cricket Ground on August 9, last year during the England v India test match.
He pleaded guilty to making or supplying an article for use in fraud on August 15, this year, namely a Lord’s members card, on Day 2 of the England v Australia test match.
Lattimer, who also owns a design company and has a background in marketing, was bailed to appear at Hendon Magistrates Court on January 24, next year for trial on the sexual assault allegation.
Prosecutor Ms Sophie Akister told the court today: “The Crown’s case is at 4.20pm the complainant was in the members pavilion of Lord’s Cricket Ground.
“It was during a test match and as she walked towards the toilet she was stopped by a male that introduced himself as ‘James’ and she says he was quite tipsy and flirty.
“She says he kissed her on both cheeks, grabbed both her bum cheeks and slapped her left cheek.
“She replied: ‘how dare you,’ and the matter was reported to security and the police.”
Nobody was arrested and the woman failed to pick out the man from a photo register of Lord’s members.
The court heard she identified Lattimer a year later and he was arrested. He says he has little recollection of the event, but insists he did not touch the woman’s bum.
“The defendant was in possession of a Member’s card that belonged to a deceased member and was altered to allow this defendant access to the members pavilion,” added Ms Akister.
The court heard there are 12,000 people on the 29-year waiting list for membership, which costs £1,000, plus £600 per year.
In her statement over a year ago the complainant, who cannot be identified, described herself as “feeling disgusted and isolated” by the incident.
“Just because I am a young woman, who is friendly and wearing a nice dress does not mean my body can be touched,” she said, complaining she felt “unsafe” in “a place that is so special to me.”
No comments:
Post a Comment