Restaurateur loses licence after sex assaults
Hugh Anderson held a "personal licence" to serve alcohol at the Hi Lo Jamaican Eating House on Cowley Road, Oxford
- Published
An Oxford restaurateur has had his licence to serve alcohol revoked after he was convicted of two sex offences.
Hugh Wayne Anderson has been told he can no longer hold a "personal licence" for the Hi Lo Jamaican Eating House on Cowley Road in Oxford.
In April he was found guilty of two counts of sexual assault against customers, was given a suspended prison sentence of 26 weeks, and was placed on the sex offenders' register for 10 years.
When contacted by the BBC he denied any wrongdoing and said he has plans to reopen the restaurant.
Oxford City Council's licensing committee was told by police that the offences happened at Anderson's restaurant in 2022.
During one of the incidents he made "aggressive sexualised comments" - and in both cases he physically assaulted the women by touching them over their clothing. the force said.
A submission to the committee from Thames Valley Police said: "[I]t was suggested in a victim statement... that when the victim subsequently spoke to door supervisors working at the Hi Lo on the night, they stated ‘Yeah he gets like this when he is drunk'.
"This suggests that this behaviour has happened before."
The police recommended that the licence was revoked and said in the submission that there were "serious exacerbating factors".
The submission said: "Being able to authorise the sale of alcohol, and thereby being put in a position of responsibility and impact over the night out of a member of the public who has chosen to go out and socialise in Oxford is in itself one of great personal responsibility.
"Faith and trust is placed is placed in that individual by the named responsible authorities and the licensing authority.... Mr Anderson has fallen short of that expectation."
The restaurant is listed online as "permanently closed".
Anderson told the BBC he has plans to reopen and that he still has the right to serve food.
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