Ex-Tory councillor accused of sexual assault 'should have behaved better'

Lee Hawthorne has denied both charges of sexual assault

A former Conservative councillor accused of sexually assaulting a colleague says he "should have behaved better", a jury has heard.

Lee Hawthorne, 44, appeared at Cirencester Courthouse on Wednesday accused of two charges of sexually assaulting a woman on at least four occasions between 31 December 2018 and 1 June 2019. He denies both charges.

The woman, whose identity has been protected, alleges she was groped by Hawthorne. He claimed to the jury there was consent.

At the start of the trial on Tuesday, the jury heard Hawthorne has a past criminal conviction for offences of 'upskirting' in 2021.

He had secretly taken a video under the woman's clothing in an office and had also committed a voyeurism offence against a woman shopping in TK Maxx.

Hawthorne, of Filbert Close in Gloucester, served as a Gloucester City councillor for four years up until April 2020.

The woman told the jury on Tuesday she worked with Hawthorne and described him as being "flirtatious".

She said that Hawthorne would often put his hand on her thigh, the woman claimed, adding that on several occasions he would move his hand up and touch her between her legs.

On one occasion Hawthorne allegedly asked the woman for photos of herself and after she "sent a photo of the floor", he sent photos of himself such as selfies of his face and "one lying on his bed in his boxer shorts".

She told Hawthorne to stop - which it did - but then it resumed, the court heard.

He told police in an interview that he remembered being asked to stop, but that he thought it was because he was married and the woman had a boyfriend.

'I'm human too'

Giving evidence Hawthorne, who has been married for 15 years and has two children, claimed there was never any complaint to managers about his behaviour at work.

"As a manager I should have behaved better. I shouldn't have pursued that", he said.

"It's easy in hindsight. I’m human too, it's had a big impact [on her] having to be here and sit and talk in the court.

"I disagree with her, I know what was happening that it was consensual, but I’m compassionate to understand that the issue around my arrest has caused this to be reframed."

Hawthorne added his life was "very difficult" when he was convicted for upskirting offences after his son was born deaf.

He said he "undertook some awful behaviour" and he is "genuinely horrified that thinking that was ok to do".

'Powerless'

In a cross-examination of the woman, she said did not raise his behaviour at work because she felt they "would never believe me".

She alleged that touching was happening "daily" but did not tell him to stop until 2019, adding that she "felt powerless" to report him.

"The way he made me feel in that office was horrendous," she said.

A colleague of the woman, who has not been named for legal reasons, told the jury Hawthorne's behaviour towards the woman was "over friendly" and they "felt there was some grooming going on".

The trial continues.