Australia’s former “First Bloke” has admitted he sexually assaulted his friend in Melbourne last year by sucking on her nipples after she fell asleep while they were watching a Whitney Houston documentary.
Raymond Timothy Mathieson, also known as Tim Mathieson, avoided jail when he appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday for sentencing.
Julia Gillard’s 67-year-old former partner pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault and was found guilty and fined $7000.
Magistrate Belinda Franjic said the offense was a “serious example of sexual assault.”
Raymond Timothy Mathieson, known as Tim Mathieson, avoided jail when he appeared before the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday for sentencing. ABC News (Australia)
“It involves victims who are vulnerable because they are sleeping. It happened in the victim’s own house which made it worse,” he said.
“When the victim woke up and pushed him away, he kept trying to put his mouth back on her breast.
“That aggravates the seriousness of the offense in my view. It is a very intimate form of sexual assault.”
Mathieson admitted he sexually assaulted a friend (not pictured) in Melbourne in 2022 by sucking on her nipples after she fell asleep while they were watching a Whitney Houston documentary. Getty Images
In March of last year, the woman invited him to her apartment where they drank wine and ate a roast together before watching a Whitney Houston documentary.
The woman fell asleep on the sofa, before waking up when Mathieson sucked her nipple and cupped her right breast, the court heard.
Although the victim pushed him away and said “Don’t do that,” he tried to continue sucking her nipple before leaving the apartment.
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The next day the woman called Mathieson to challenge him about the incident.
He apologized and said it would never happen again.
The woman suffered from anxiety, depression and bulimia as a result of the incident, the court heard in a victim impact statement read by the prosecution.
He had moved for the “safety and support” of his family.
Mathieson’s lawyer, Brad Penno, said he had apologized for his behavior and for the consequences of his offence.
Noting his client’s exemplary record of good behavior prior to the incident and his work with various charities, Penno appealed to Magistrate Franjic not to record a conviction against Mathieson.
“I don’t know if I can deal with this without recording a conviction,” replied the magistrate.
“I accept this is completely out of character but I consider this a serious example of sexual assault.”
As Mathieson left court, his friend offered to pay for a taxi home.
Mathieson’s lawyer Brad Penno (not pictured) said he had apologized for his behavior and for the consequences of his offence.Getty Images
“My wallet is $7000 short,” Mathieson said.
The former hairdresser came into the public eye when he began dating then deputy Labor leader Julia Gillard in 2006.
He is known as Australia’s “First Block”, moving to the Lodge when Ms Gillard became Prime Minister in 2010.
Mathieson had an intimate relationship with the former prime minister for more than a decade before ending in late 2020/early 2021. Getty Images
The reversal of traditional gender roles, a first in Australia, saw Mathieson take on duties normally carried out by the Prime Minister’s wife.
Mathieson’s relationship with the former Prime Minister ended quietly in late 2020 or early 2021 after they had been together for more than a decade.
The incident comes just weeks before Gillard publicly confirmed the couple had split.
Mathieson is currently enrolled in a male behavior program that will begin early next year, his lawyer confirmed.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
