Lord’s fan accused of sex assault in pavilion
A businessman accused of groping a woman in the Lord’s Pavilion was arrested a year later while using a dead MCC member’s card to watch the Ashes, a court was told yesterday. James Lattimer, 51, allegedly kissed the woman and grabbed her bottom during England’s Test match against India last year, Westminster magistrates were told. The alleged victim spotted Mr Lattimer at the Test this year, where he was found to be using the dead member’s access card.
A BUSINESSMAN who groped a woman in the Lord’s Pavilion was arrested a year later while using a dead member’s card to watch the Ashes, a court has heard.
James Lattimer, 51, allegedly kissed the woman and grabbed her bottom during England’s Test match against India on Aug 9 2018, Westminster magistrates’ court was told.
The alleged victim was said to have been left “disgusted and violated” but was unable to identify Mr Lattimer until she spotted him on the second day of the Ashes test in August, a year later.
He was arrested and appeared in court yesterday accused of sexual assault and fraud, for using a deceased Lord’s member’s card to enter the exclusive surrounds of the pavilion.
Rain had stopped play on the day of the alleged assault in 2018, but fans stayed, hoping the clouds would clear until umpires eventually abandoned the day at 4.50pm.
Sophia Akister, prosecuting, told the court Mr Lattimer stopped the woman as she was going to the lavatory and engaged her in some “tipsy” flirting.
She said: “He kissed her on both cheeks and grabbed her left bum cheek and slapped it. Afterwards, she was shocked and shouted, ‘How dare you’.
“She informed the police, but there was no CCTV of the assault.”
The alleged victim could not identify her attacker at the time but she spotted Mr Lattimer at the Ashes Test on Aug 15 this year, and pointed him out to police, which led to his arrest.
“He was in possession of a member’s card who was a deceased member which allowed him entry to the members’ pavilion,” Ms Akister said.
Mr Lattimer indicated a not guilty plea to sexual assault but admitted making an article for the use of fraud concerning the membership card.
The woman said, in a statement read to the court: “This action left me feeling disgusted and violated, but mainly I feel angry.
“Just because I’m friendly and young and wearing a nice dress doesn’t mean my body is someone else’s to touch without my consent...i also felt upset and indignant that my first internal reaction was to shake it off. This behaviour left me feeling utterly disappointed and unsafe in a place that is so special to me.”
Rachel Cooper, defending, said Mr Lattimer, who runs a private cleaning company in Dorset, admitted drinking alcohol but had “no recollection” of speaking to the woman and was “adamant” he did not grope her.
Mr Lattimer, said from the dock: “It’s not inconceivable that I might have kissed her, but I would not have pinched someone’s bottom.”
Membership at Lord’s costs £1,000, but there is currently a waiting time of 29 years and a queue of 12,000 applicants, Marylebone Cricket Club said in a statement read to the court.
It added: “Membership is highly desirable, and there is no equivalent anywhere in the world of cricket.”
The identity of the fan whose membership was misused was not revealed. Mr Lattimer, of Bournemouth, is due to appear at a summary trial at Hendon magistrates’ court on Jan 24.
‘This action left me feeling disgusted and violated, but mainly I feel angry’