Solicitor, 72, is found guilty of sexual assault

LAWYER BRANDED 'ARROGANT AND CRUEL' BY WOMAN HE GROPED AS HE IS SPARED JAIL

- By ROB KENNEDY Court reporter

A SOLICITOR who put his hand up a woman's 'Jingle my Bells' Christmas jumper and groped her breast has been branded “arrogant” by his victim.

Timothy Luckhurst-Matthews was an “upstanding member of the community” when he threw away his good name by sexually assaulting the woman.

As he was sentenced, the victim outlined how she was left in “despair” by the attack, for what she labelled his “five seconds of sexual gratification”.

The woman also claimed the 72-year-old, of Gateshead, had alleged her choice of Christmas jumper had somehow invited the sexual assault, which he denied.

Now Luckhurst-Matthews, who was described in court as a “devout Christian”, has been given a suspended prison sentence and been ordered to sign the sex offenders register by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.

The court heard the grope happened while the woman was wearing the festive garment and made a comment to Luckhurst-Matthews about it as he approached.

Rachel Glover, prosecuting, said: “Rather than respond, he decided to put his hand under her jumper, under her bra and grabbed her breast and squeezed it to the point of pain.