A former Charterhouse pupil accused of groping a venue manager has been cleared by a jury after he explained the incident was a practical joke that went wrong.
Alexander Broke-Smith, 23, was alleged to have sexually assaulted the woman while attending a joint 18th and 21st birthday party in north London with his girlfriend on July 12 last year.
The couple were with their friends at the bar when the manager at the north London arts centre came over and asked about the tab.
Alexander Broke-Smith, pictured, was accused of sexually assaulting a female bar manager during a birthday party in north London on July 12 last year
Broke-Smith, pictured outside Wood Green Crown Court denied assaulting the woman
Shipping broker Broke-Smith was accused of cupping her bottom and vaginal area from behind as she chatted to staff.
But he told jurors he only meant to play ‘a sort of childish game where you tap someone on the shoulder and no-one is there.’
He added: ‘The motive was because she had been rude, I wanted to play a very childish practical joke.’
During his evidence, Broke-Smith explained that he had asked one of his friends to put out their hand so that he could knock her arm into the alleged victim.
But at the last moment the friend moved her hand away so that he hit the venue manager on the lower back.
‘It was just a flick round with an open hand. I didn’t see where it touched her. I couldn’t have pinched anyone because my hand was at full reach.
‘I was trying to make sure I wasn’t seen so the woman would turn around to see who touched her.’
Broke-Smith was accused of cupping her bottom and vaginal area from behind as she chatted to staff
He said: ‘I was desperate to make a good impression as there were only two people there that I knew. I knew it was important to my girlfriend.
‘There was a big eclectic mix of people from all walks of life. I saw a vicar walking around.’
Asked how much he had to drink, he told the court: ‘Honestly not that much, maybe three or four glasses of wine. I would say I was reasonably clear-headed.’
Broke-Smith then told the court how the woman had been pushing him from behind in an attempt to get to the bar.
‘I became aware of someone pushing into me. I turned round and I saw a woman behind me who I now know to be the complainant. I thought at the time that she was a guest.
‘She continued pushing and tugging on me. I wasn’t too pleased about it so I decided to hold my ground. I found it quite rude so I just ignored her. She was trying to move her hand in a way that would push me to the side.
Broke-Smith let out a huge sigh of relief as the verdict was announced. He attended Charterhouse in Godalming, Surrey, and read history at the University of Edinburgh after leaving the £38,000 per-annum school, according to his LinkedIn page
‘Eventually the tugging became annoying so I let the woman know, I said “the bars all yours”.’
Prosecutor Jerry Hayes asked Broke-Smith: ‘Didn’t you feel any sense of shame for trying to humiliate a member of the bar staff?’
Broke-Smith replied: ‘I did not intend to humiliate her.’
The prosecutor continued: ‘And part of that humiliation was a sexual assault, wasn’t it?’
He replied: ‘No.’
The jury took three hours and 42 minutes to reach the not guilty verdict.
Broke-Smith let out a huge sigh of relief as the verdict was announced.
He attended Charterhouse in Godalming, Surrey, and read history at the University of Edinburgh after leaving the £38,000 per-annum school, according to his LinkedIn page.
Alumni of Charterhouse, founded in the 17th Century, include Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health, Question Time presenter David Dimbleby, his brother Jonathan, Sledgehammer singer Peter Gabriel and the famous author Robert Graves.
Broke-Smith, of Fulham, denied one count of sexual assault by touching and was cleared by the jury.
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