Solicitor is fined £1,000 for sex assault on lawyer

Solicitor is fined £1,000 for sex assault on lawyer

21 January 2015

A DOWNPATRICK solicitor has been ordered to pay a female colleague compensation of £2,500 following a drunken sexual assault.

Thirty four year-old Chris Logue was also ordered to pay a fine of £1,000 for assaulting the newly qualified solicitor at a social function for the legal profession in Newcastle.

Logue, who is a junior partner with Joe Mulholland Solicitors in Downpatrick, bowed his head as he was sentenced in Downpatrick courthouse yesterday afternoon for the offence which had he denied during a two-day hearing in December.

The fine was imposed by Judge Nigel Broderick after defence barrister Eugene Grant QC pleaded for leniency, saying Logue was a “skeleton of the man he once was” with a career and life in “ruins.”

During the December contest, the court heard how Logue had manhandled and groped the woman at a table of fellow solicitors at the November 23 professional dinner.

The woman told the court that Logue, of Lady Wallace Crescent, Lisburn, sat down beside her and pestered her for almost 15 minutes, attempting to bearhug her before eventually trying to climb onto her lap.

She said he ignored her insistence that he “respect” her personal space and instead told her he would like to “enjoy” her.

The woman said she gave the defendant a bye-ball because of his intoxication and tried to distract him by meaningless conversation before finally deciding “enough is enough.” She said she then elbowed him before jumping to her feet as he fell face first into her lap.

“It was surreal and outside the norms of what you would expect,” she said.

“I was embarrassed and aware my children and other colleagues were present. I felt humiliated. I felt he was having a bit of fun and I was the source of the fun.”

Describing Logue as “excitable and intoxicated”, she said he tried to “nuzzle” into her chest at one stage before trying to climb on top of her.

“He seemed so determined to get his hands on me. I do not know what was going to happen if I had been left on my own,” she said.

The woman said she found the attack on her personal body and space shocking.

“It is not reasonable for somebody you don’t know to give you a bearhug.

“I was concerned if this had happened in a toilet or a hallway there would not have been any boundaries.

“I believe it was sexually motivated I do not believe he would have done the same actions had it been a male.”

Mr. Grant, speaking at yesterday’s sentencing, said Logue was so stressed by the case he was “effectively a skeleton of the man he once was.”

“His career and life lie in ruins around him. He is struggling to pick up whatever pieces there are,” he said

“He is going to pay a price for the rest of his life. You can’t help but think ‘There but for the grace of God.’”

“I ask that this will be dealt with in a way that would not have fatal consequences for his ability to work.”

Judge Broderick said any offence of a sexual nature was a serious matter but said it was accepted that Logue’s offence was at the lower end of the scale.

He said the incident had been traumatic for the victim but recognised that Logue, who he said was “a man of a hitherto clear record”, had shown remorse for the trauma inflicted both on the injured party and his own family.

However, Mr. Broderick said the case was aggravated by the fact that Logue contested the charge and thereby put his victim through the emotional trauma of giving evidence.

“I fully recognise that this conviction has led to the loss of your good character and standing as a solicitor and in the general community as a whole,” he said.

“The injured party should take some comfort from the fact you were remorseful and expressed regret for your behaviour which you describe as inappropriate.

“You present as determined never to repeat this behaviour in the future.”

Logue is now expected to face professional disciplinary proceedings.