He also poured beer over his victim’s head and called her an “Australian slut”
A high-flying City solicitor, who earlier this month was found guilty of racially aggravated assault and sexual assault, has today been handed a 12-month community order.
Following sentencing at Wimbledon Magistrates, Alastair Main will have to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. His name will be placed on the sex offenders register for five years.
Main — who has reportedly been sacked from his previous job as legal counsel at London-based asset management firm Schroders — also risks being struck off. A spokesperson for the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) told Legal Cheek today:
We are aware [Main’s conviction] and now the court case is concluded, we will seek all relevant information before deciding on the appropriate action.
Main, 35, was accused of pouring a beer over a 27-year-old woman at the London Rowing Club’s 2015 Christmas party in Putney. He was also said to have called her an “Australian slut”.
At trial, the court heard how Maine followed the young woman into the ladies’ toilets, lifted up her skirt and repeatedly slapped her. After “storming out” of the restrooms, he continued to pursue his unnamed victim before apparently giving her another slap on the bum.
The Ashurst-trained lawyer — who accepted that he had followed the woman, but only because he wanted to apologise for pouring beer on her — maintained that the bum slap was “cheeky”. He accepted calling her “a slut” but insisted that the incident was not racially motivated.
Admitted as a solicitor in October 2007, Main was found guilty of aggravated assault and sexual assault earlier this month. He had, until today, been on unconditional bail while pre-sentencing reports were prepared.
Ordering Main to cough up £1,000 in costs and an £85 victim surcharge, Judge Barnes today told him:
I take into account that you have lost your job and cannot work in your chosen sector in future and the impact on your reputation, your family, friends and the public.
The judge said money could not recompense behaviour like this, and that the victim “would like to leave this all behind” and has “moved on”.
Main, whose legal career now lies in tatters, is also subject to a five-year restraining order that prevents him from contacting the victim.
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