Ex-Freshfields lawyer accused of lying about sex assault allegations
An ex-Freshfields lawyer was today accused of fabricating her account of an alleged non-consensual sexual encounter with a married partner at the firm.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal heard evidence from the unnamed female lawyer, known as Person A, who accused Freshfields partner Ryan Beckwith, 41, of sexually assaulting her at her flat after an evening drinking in a City pub.
The tribunal heard a report of a conversation the pair had days later.
Read more: Ex-Freshfields lawyer says incident with married partner left her with mental health problems
Person A said: “I don’t think you’re a bad person, we f****d up, we really f****d up, you’re my married boss, it’s such a cliche.
However, Person A said that her view of the incident had since changed.
“I took full responsibility at the time,” she said. “Obviously with reflection that’s not my view.”
Beckwith’s barrister, Alisdair Williamson QC, said: “The reality, Miss A, is you were having a great time in the pub, you went back with the respondent and the pair of you ‘f****d up’”.
Person A responded: “My view is I was subject to a non-consensual sexual assault.”
Read more: Freshfields partner to face tribunal after sexual misconduct allegations
The barrister for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Riel Karmy-Jones QC, later read out an email Person A sent to Beckwith months later.
“You took advantage of me when I was too drunk to resist,” she said.
“I am worried that you have done it before and you might do it again.”
The defence case is that the pair had kissed in a City pub before sharing a taxi to Person A’s flat where consensual sexual activity took place.
In response, Person A said: “I really regret being that drunk because this awful thing happened to me, but it is true and I’m telling the truth.”
The case continues.