It took the judge 20 mins to make his decision
A criminal barrister who featured on the barrister hottie list has been acquitted of assaulting a young woman at his chambers.
25 Bedford Row barrister Alex di Francesco (pictured below) stood trial today on one count of sexual assault, after a 24-year-old alleged he pulled down her tights and pants, grabbed her bum “really hard” and asked her “are we not going to have sex?”
The court heard how the pair met at a wine bar in central London, before walking over to the former Lamb Building Chambers barrister’s new set. It was there the alleged attack took place.
Birmingham University grad di Francesco reportedly cried in the dock of Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court today as he was cleared.
District Judge Nicholas Wattam said he was concerned the complainant’s recollection of the alleged attack was “impaired by the amount of alcohol she had drunk that evening.”
He continued:
I accept that one thing led naturally to another, and when the complainant gave the clear impression that he had overstepped the mark, Mr Di Francesco immediately stopped what he was doing.
Wattam did, however, tell the defendant that bringing the woman to his chambers was a “misjudgement” on his part.