A 72-year-old lawyer has escaped jail after sexually assaulting a woman who was wearing a Christmas jumper bearing the slogan “Jingle my bells”. Timothy Luckhurst-Matthews forced his hand up the stunned victim’s top and painfully groped her breast before exclaiming “hmm, firm”. The solicitor, who claims to be a “devout Christian” was convicted after defending himself in a trial and the former “upstanding member of the community” has now thrown away his good name by committing the assault.
As he was sentenced, the victim branded Luckhurst-Matthews “arrogant” and told how she was left in “despair” by the attack, for what she labelled his “five seconds of sexual gratification”. The woman also claimed the pensioner had alleged her choice of Christmas jumper had somehow invited the sexual assault.
Luckhurst-Matthews, of Gateshead, escaped with a suspended prison sentence and was ordered to sign the sex offenders register by a judge at Newcastle Crown Court.
The legal eagle qualified as a solicitor in 1986 and specialised in commercial property, construction, conveyancing, corporate finance and employment law.
The court heard how he groped the woman who was sporting the festive jumper at an event in December 2022 after she made a comment to him 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.
“She was in shock, saying ‘no’ and pulling her jumper down. He said ‘mmm, firm’.”
The attack was witnessed by another woman and police were contacted and arrested Luckhurst-Matthews.
He denied sexual assault but was convicted by a jury following a trial earlier this year.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said she was left feeling “despair” and accused him of “abusing his skill as a solicitor” in the aftermath of the offence.
She added that she had “fought back for the justice I deserve” but said matters had taken a “significant toll on my mental health”.
She said she was left struggling to sleep, suffered nightmares and “saw myself as a burden to those around me”.
The woman added: “I carried and continue to carry so much shame despite my acknowledgement this is misplaced.
“I’m permanently on edge. I carry this with me everywhere, there’s no respite or escape from it. It hurts me more how it’s affected my family.”
She added: “His arrogance disgusts me. He has used his knowledge on the law to try to manipulate everything he could.
“He suggested my choice of jumper someone invited it. How a Christmas jumper could possibly be interpreted as an invitation for such a violation is beyond comprehension. This man is cruel and thinks he is above the law, caring about no one but himself.
“He has had every opportunity to be honest. He could have apologised, he could have showed regret. Instead he concentrated his efforts on continuing lying and wasting everyone’s time because he values no one’s but his own.”
The woman said she has been left “scarred” by Luckhurst-Matthews’ “five seconds of sexual gratification” and his subsequent “lies”.
Luckhurst-Matthews was found guilty by a jury of sexual assault. He was sentenced to 10 months suspended for two years, must sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and ordered to pay £1,200 prosecution costs.
Sentencing him, Judge Carolyn Scott branded his behaviour “inexcusable”.
She added: “Your behaviour was shocking. I’m in no doubt your egregious behaviour that day has had a lasting impression on her.
“Her pain is real. It’s apparent to me this will stay with her for a very long time to come, notwithstanding the valiant efforts she’s making to deal with it.”
Judge Scott said the woman is to be commended for her bravery.
Continuing to address Luckhurst-Matthews, she added: “You have lost your good name. You were an upstanding member of your community – a solicitor and a devout Christian.
“In the pre-sentence report I can see the effect your offending has had on your life.”
Luckhurst-Matthews, representing himself, said his first reaction to the victim impact statement was “one of considerable anger”. He disputed saying the slogan on the jumper the woman was wearing invited the sexual assault.
He then said for the woman to claim she was in financial difficulty as a result of the offence was “frankly ludicrous”. Luckhurst-Matthews added that he was seeking leave to appeal against his conviction and said: “If I’m successful in the appeal I will have served the sentence and paid a large sum of money. One wonders if I get any of that back or do I become another miscarriage of justice?”