City Executive Accused Of Sexual Assault: "Disgusted And Mortified" By CCTV Footage

A City pension fund executive has confessed to being “disgusted and mortified” by CCTV images, which show his hand up the skirt of a drunken female financier near the Bank of England.

Craig Brown, 61, had met the experienced professional at a casual business lunch that day and told a jury she consented to sexual activity in a covered walkway near the entrance to Bank Underground Station.

Grammar school-educated Brown was the director of a company based in the heart of the Square Mile is also the former Head of Global Consultant Relations for industry giants Legal & General.

“I watch the video and being in that situation was very embarrassing. I should not have been there or in that situation,” he told Inner London Crown Court. “Obviously we were doing something we shouldn’t be doing in a public place.”

Brown, who lives in a £1.5m house in the Surrey commuter belt in Harestone Hill, Caterham has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexually assaulting the woman by penetration on July 21, 2021.

“I was flattered, slightly surprised and enjoying the moment. I was single again and it was fun,” father-of-two Brown told the trial. “We continued to kiss each others’ face and neck and I like massaging legs, it is something I do.”

The jury watched CCTV of the woman sitting on the ground with a kneeling or crouching Brown running his hands up and down her legs and feet in the public area at approximately 9.30pm.

“She was giggling and enjoying the relaxation,” recalled Brown. “I massaged closer to the top of her thighs, becoming more sexual and I moved my hand up further.”

He admitted placing his hand between her legs and underneath the white lacy thong she was wearing. “It was initially stroking and then rubbing and she was clearly enjoying it. She was laughing and smiling and making murmurs of pleasure.”

Prosecutor Valeria Swift told the jury the married mother was “semi conscious” and far too drunk to consent, with an alcohol reading equivalent to four times the drink-drive limit and no memory of events after 7.00pm.

A group of friends, who had been attending a cricket match, stepped in and interrupted the couple, with the complainant assuring them: ‘He’s a good guy.’

“The complainant was consenting and capable of consenting that night,” answered Brown to questions from his lawyer Eleanor Laws KC. “I thought she was good fun with an interesting and vibrant personality and we got on well.”

He told the court he intended to get the train home until the woman suggested continuing to drink. “It was two days after the Covid lockdown and we were pleased to be out.”

Brown had joined a lunch the complainant was enjoying with a City financial consultant at Cabotte French restaurant earlier in the day and after that man left they continued drinking at two other bars.

“We were kissing and cuddling in the bar and we were both being foolish, kissing and touching in the lift. We were laughing and joking, two people fairly drunk in London on a Summer’s night.

“We left the bar and I went to Tesco. It was a foolish decision, a bad drunken decision, but she suggested having more wine where we were sitting.”

The sexual activity was interrupted by the cricket group, recalled Brown. “I heard a noise and heard one of the witness’s saying: ‘What are you doing?’ and coming over and confronting me and pushing me away.

“They asked me what I was doing and why I was doing it. The men were quite aggressive.

“I understand now what they thought they had seen. We were doing something we shouldn’t have been doing.

“They were talking at once, it was quite bewildering and frightening. I could not believe what was happening, I had never been in such a traumatic situation in my life.

“They were holding me and stopping me. I wanted away from these guys.”

The woman suffered two seizures and was taken to hospital in an ambulance and police arrested Brown, who spent a sleepless evening on a concrete cell floor before questioning the next day.

“I was disgusted, bewildered, ashamed of everything that happened that previous night. I was very stressed and feeling terrible  that I had got myself into that situation.” 

Ms Swift told the jury: “CCTV in the lift shows Mr Brown putting his hand on her waist and the woman smiling and laughing and it would seem she was happy and comfortable in his company.

“CCTV also shows a porter help her steady herself as she leaves the bar as she seemed unstable and by 9.20pm she looked decidedly drunk,” explained the prosecutor.

“They are again picked up on CCTV on a walkway near Bank Underground Station and this defendant kissed her and you can see her smiling, but you may conclude she was very drunk indeed.

“She was swaying as she was walking and the CCTV shows her slump to the ground.

“The defendant started to stroke her legs and her head was slumped down completely.

“A group of friends who had just attended the cricket were passing and some of them saw kissing and others saw Mr Brown ‘fingering’ the woman.

“Perhaps they were taken aback by this happening in a public place, but what struck all of the group was the state the complainant was in.

“They variously describe her as ‘limp’ and ‘semi-conscious’ and not aware of what was happening.

“By this time she was unresponsive, but there were small movements of her leg, indicating she was not totally unconscious, but in a drunken stupor.

“The group approached to confront the defendant because they came to the conclusion that what they saw was ‘not on’ and there was ‘something off’ about it.

“They felt the defendant was taking advantage of a severely drunken semi-conscious woman.

“As the group approached, this defendant moved and the woman completely slumped down,” explained the prosecutor.

“She was in such a drunken stupor she did not have the capacity to consent to sexual activity.

Nine days later the woman gave a video-recorded interview to police, confirming she had been drinking wine that day and was introduced to Brown.

“He seemed a pleasant guy and he knew his stuff and was very well-versed in the industry,” she recalled.

“I do not remember leaving the pub with him. It is a complete blank.

“I vaguely remember shouting, but don’t know how that related to what happened.

“I don’t know if I was attacked, I have no recollection. I have no recollection until the police and paramedics.”

Trial continues………… 

City Exec Accused Of Public Sex Assault On Drunken Female Financier

A City pension fund executive was caught molesting a “semi conscious” female financier near the Bank of England after the pair’s all-day drinking session, a court heard yesterday.

Craig Brown, 61, and the woman had just met at a casual business lunch, but she consumed so much alcohol she was equivalent to four times the drink-drive limit.

Grammar school-educated Brown, the director of an insurance company based in the heart of the Square Mile is also the former Head of Global Consultant Relations for industry giants Legal & General.

Inner London Crown Court heard a group of cricket friends saw Brown groping the woman between her legs near the entrance to Bank Underground Station at 9.30pm and raised the alarm.

Brown, who lives in a £1.5m house in the Surrey commuter belt in Harestone Hill, Caterham has pleaded not guilty to one count of assaulting the woman by penetration on July 21, 2021.

Prosecutor Valeria Swift told the jury the married professional woman was too drunk to consent to sexual activity and has no recollection of the evening after 7.00pm.

Brown joined a lunch the complainant was enjoying with a City financial consultant at Cabotte French restaurant.

“All three of them got on well and were enjoying a good drink and when the other man left, leaving the woman and this defendant, they carried on drinking,” explained Ms Swift.

“This defendant took a selfie of them together and they were happy in each others company and both of them had a lot to drink.”

They continued drinking at the nearby Old Watling Pub until 7.00pm and then went to the Coq d’Argent rooftop bar, but the woman has no memory of this.

“CCTV in the lift shows Mr Brown putting his hand on her waist and the woman smiling and laughing and it would seem she was happy and comfortable in his company.

“CCTV also shows a porter help her steady herself as she leaves the bar as she seemed unstable and by 9.20pm she looked decidedly drunk,” explained the prosecutor.

“They are again picked up on CCTV on a walkway near Bank Underground Station and this defendant kissed her and you can see her smiling, but you may conclude she was very drunk indeed.

“She was swaying as she was walking and the CCTV shows her slump to the ground.

“This defendant must have also been very drunk by now as he had been drinking over a considerable period of time.

“She started smoking a cigarette and Mr Brown returned with more alcohol and is seen with a bottle of wine.

“The defendant started to stroke her legs and her head was slumped down completely.

“A group of friends who had just attended the cricket were passing and some of them saw kissing  and others saw Mr Brown ‘fingering’ the woman.

“Perhaps they were taken aback by this happening in a public place, but what struck all of the group was the state the complainant was in.

“They variously describe her as ‘limp’ and ‘semi-conscious’ and not aware of what was happening.

“By this time she was unresponsive, but there were small movements of her leg, indicating she was not totally unconscious, but in a drunken stupor.

“The group approached to confront the defendant because they came to the conclusion that what they saw was ‘not on’ and there was ‘something off’ about it.

“They felt the defendant was taking advantage of a severely drunken semi-conscious woman.

“As the group approached, this defendant moved and the woman completely slumped down,” explained the prosecutor.

“She was in such a drunken stupor she did not have the capacity to consent to sexual activity.

“The group called the police and the woman had at least one seizure.

“By now emotions were running high between the group and Mr Brown and he told them they had been out and that there was: ‘Nothing to worry about and nothing to see here.’

“The group were not going anywhere and by now the woman came around and was telling them: ‘He’s a good guy.’

“It is important to know if she had any knowledge of what had happened and this defendant cannot be guilty if she consented.”

Nine days later the woman gave a video-recorded interview to police, confirming she had been drinking wine that day and was introduced to Brown.

“He seemed a pleasant guy and he knew his stuff and was very well-versed in the industry,” she recalled.

“I do not remember leaving the pub with him. It is a complete blank.

“I vaguely remember shouting, but don’t know how that related to what happened.

“I don’t know if I was attacked, I have no recollection. I have no recollection until the police and paramedics.”

Trial continues…………  

Suspended Sentence For Multiple Stabbing

An armed pub thug, who pulled out a knife and stabbed another man twice in the head could have killed the victim, say investigating police.

Kyle Quinn,22, got involved in a fight at the City of London's The Woodins Shades pub, Bishopsgate on the evening of October 22, 2022.

He received two years imprisonment, suspended for two years and was ordered to complete 240 hours community service.

Quinn, of Hammondstreet Road, Cheshunt, Hertfordshire was convicted after a three-day trial at Inner London Crown court of wounding and possession of an offensive weapon.

During the altercation Quinn stabbed another man twice in the head - causing serious injuries - and once in the back. 

Fortunately that final stabbing did not penetrate all the way through the victim’s coat.

Detective Constable Sam Lowe said: “This was a nasty attack which could have easily have led to the victim dying from his injuries. 

“Our thoughts are with the victim who has been really brave in coming forward and supporting our investigation.

“Quinn thought he could flee the scene and evade justice. 

“An extensive investigation involving many witnesses, analysing hours of CCTV, recovery of the knife, forensic examination of blood and DNA and media appeals, resulted in police identifying Quinn by November 2022.

"When Quinn returned to Stansted Airport in January 2023, we were waiting and arrested him. 

“If you come to the City with the intent of using a knife to harm others we will find you and put you before the courts.”

Bus Stop Attack: Suspended Sentence For Triple Jaw Fracture

Hospitalised: Chris Goulding

An actor and musician, who suffered a triple jaw fracture during an unprovoked late-night bus stop assault, has “completely lost faith in justice,” after seeing his attacker avoid prison.

Chris Goulding, 33, was on the receiving end of a flurry of punches from drunken 30 year-old Ben Robertson, resulting in his jaw being wired for three months and restricted to a liquid-only diet.

A total of four metal plates and sixteen screws were required to hold his jaw together and two tubes were inserted into his neck to drain fluid away.

Apprentice welder Robertson, formerly of Belton Fields Lane, Belton, North Lincolnshire fought the charge, but was convicted by a jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm in Borough High Street, Southwark on September 1, 2020.

Since the attack he has served a separate ten-month prison sentence for assaulting his father and has been convicted of offences of criminal damage, possession of an offensive weapon, threatening behaviour and another assault.

Prosecutor Matt Ward told Inner London Crown Court: “This was a relatively prolonged assault while Mr Goulding was on the ground and the offence was clearly committed under the influence of some alcohol.”

Suspended Sentence: Robertson

Mr Goulding had just enjoyed an evening out with his girlfriend and after walking her home was set upon by Robertson as he waited for a bus near Southwark Police Station at 10.30pm.

Fortunately three off-duty police officers were nearby and broke-up the assault, but not before clearly seeing Robertson land at least three heavy punches on the prone victim.

In his victim impact statement Mr Goulding - who has been unable to work since he was attacked - confirmed he suffered a “life-threatening infection” and lost nearly two stones in weight.

He has needed at least twenty-seven return visits to King’ College Hospital and suffered bone loss, nerve damage and facial numbness.

Mr Goulding was a drummer on the London live music scene, but in his victim statement confirmed he has spent long periods of time “housebound” and had been left “physically and emotionally exhausted” by the ordeal.

He relied on home nursing visits and twice collapsed during his long recovery and was admitted to A&E with heart palpitations.

He has signed-off work with PTSD, has been diagnosed with depression and continues to have a fear of attack when in public.

Describing his recovery struggles as a “horrific catalogue of events,” Mr Goulding took to the witness box to tell Recorder Jonathan Richards he is now “resigned to a life of mundanity.”

He has permanent facial numbness, causing difficulty eating and drinking and now dislikes loud and busy places, in contrast to his former live music pursuits.

“I had a complete physical breakdown,” Mr Goulding told the court. “It has had a devastating effect on my future career prospects.”

He even saw a Harley Street psychiatrist after developing nervous ticks and twitches when under stress and was prescribed valium for stress.

Robertson’s lawyer Laura Stockdale told the court her Doncaster-native client’s once-promising future was ruined by mental health issues and cannabis use, forcing him to quit his Newcastle University degree course after two years.

Ordeal: Mr Goulding

He has been sectioned multiple times under the Mental Health Act, suffered depression and more recently was diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

“At the time of the offence he was homeless, having been kicked out of his home in Doncaster and he did apologise in his evidence for the extent of Mr Goulding’s injuries.”

Robertson has now secured housing association accommodation in William Street, Scunthorpe.

Mr Golding says he was attacked by two men, with only Robertson prosecuted and has a clear memory of being kicked by the defendant and seeing the sole of his trainer coming down.

The trial jury cleared Robertson - who claimed self-defence - of the more serious offence of inflicting GBH, with intent, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Recorder Richards told him: “Three off-duty police officers saw you throwing punches. You punched him repeatedly in the face, causing really horrific injuries.

Outside Court: Chris Goulding

“Mr Goulding in no way posed any threat to you that night, yet you continued to punch a man who was on the ground. It was a really serious offence.

“The injuries are extremely serious. A triple-fractured jaw requiring plates and screws to be inserted and straws were inserted into his neck to drain fluids.

“Your mental health issues played a significant part in your assault on Mr Goulding and you caused grave injury to Mr Goulding that has resulted in a permanent condition.

“The paranoid schizophrenia diagnosis goes a long way to explaining your conduct that night and you were of good character up to that point.

“You now appear to have turned something of a corner and started to build a better life for yourself and get your life back on track and have stayed away from alcohol and drugs.

“The prisons are, as everyone knows, overcrowded at this time and that makes a custodial sentence harder on you, given your mental health.

“The pre-sentence report says that you are at low-risk of re-offending and are determined to stay on the right track.”

Robertson was sentenced to two years imprisonment, suspended for two years and must comply with a two-year mental health treatment order and a twenty-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Mr Goulding did not remain in court after hearing Robertson’s prison sentence would be suspended and outside said: “I have completely lost faith in justice and have lost faith in my country.

“I am also concerned for the public as we now have a violent paranoid schizophrenic on the streets who poses a danger to the public.

“He is getting on with life. He’s been given a housing association flat, I can’t get a council flat, he has an apprenticeship and I have had four years of hell and s***.”

BLM Supporter Denies Damaging RAF Memorial Poppies

A Black Lives Matter supporter, accused of deliberately destroying poppy wreaths at an RAF Bomber Command WWII memorial, has
denied the charge.

Soulman Cosmic Freedom, 58, also shouted: “I am innocent,” from the dock at Southwark Crown Court, where he will return for trial on June 1, 2026.

Freedom, of Beech Avenue, Acton arrived at court wearing a forensic-style fully-length body overall adorned to the rear with an image of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence and the words: ‘Black Live Matter’.

He changed out of the outfit for the court hearing itself and also swapped his ‘Black Lives Matter’ facemask for a plain white alternative.

Freedom is charged with causing criminal damage to the poppy wreaths at the Green Park memorial, belonging to the City of Westminster, on June 30.

The memorial, which features seven bronze statues of Bomber Command airmen, was unveiled by the late Queen Elizabeth II on June 28, 2012 to commemorate the 55,573 aircrew who lost their lives.

Woman Beaten By Farringdon Station Beggar In "Brutal Attack"

A lone woman received these injuries when she was repeatedly punched in the face by a beggar near Farringdon rail station.

City of London Police have released the image and are appealing for members of the public who witnessed the disturbing assault or think they may know the suspect to come forward.

On July 3, between 9.00pm and 10.00pm the woman was walking near the station when a man, who had been sitting on the floor, approached her and asked her for money.

The man then went on to attack the woman.

The suspect pulled her arm and hair and repeatedly punched her in the face and arms. 

She sustained multiple bruises from the assault.

Detective Chief Superintendent Mandy Horsburgh, head of specialist operations at the City of London Police, said: “This was a brutal attack on a woman in the City. 

“No woman or girl should be made to feel unsafe or threatened while walking in public. 

“We are extremely grateful to the victim for allowing us to show the extent of her injuries for this appeal.”

“Although we believe this to be an isolated incident, it is still a terrifying assault on a woman and we want to catch the person responsible.

“I am asking for anyone who may have witnessed this incident, or know the suspect, to come forward to help our investigation.”

Anyone with information can contact us on 020 7601 2222 with reference 406747.