Jamie Rushton, 45, formerly of the Village Vet practice in Hampstead, sexually assaulted a woman at a hotel while she slept after becoming intoxicated. He has been imprisoned after his wife contacting the police with damning evidence against him.
The original incident was on June 25th 2017, and it took two years for it to be reported to the police. Officers handed the case contacted the victim in 2021 and she was able to identify herself from the images, but due to the intoxication could not recall the assault itself.
Standing in the dock on May 30th 2023 at Wood Green Crown Court, the judge handed Jamie Rushton an 18 month prison sentence for his actions, after he changed his plea to guilty days before trial.
The court heard Rushton and the woman were socialising at a work conference and black-tie dinner organised by his employer. She drank a substantial amount of alcohol and could not remember going to bed, but remembers awaking the following morning fully clothed in his bed, but assumed he simply took care of her in a ‘gentlemanly’ fashion.
In 2019, Rushton’s wife discovered several multimedia on his electronic devices of him recording himself sexually assaulting this woman. This included moving her body to position her in a sexualised fashion while recording her private parts.
His wife found other concerning multimedia, such as Rushton perving on women in public by covertly recording them, including in shops and on public transport. Since being reported to the police, he has lost both his family and employment.
In an impact statement, his victim said that she had been left feeling “guilt, shame and fear” after discovering what Rushton had done. Judge Ezzat said: “She had consumed a lot of alcohol, she was drunk, she had no recollection of going into your room. What I can say is that given her level of intoxication she would not have been able to consent to sexual activity.”
Sentencing him to 18 months imprisonment, he said: “I do not detect any remorse from you but that is perhaps because you do not think you have done anything wrong.
“I have no doubt you deeply regret finding yourself before the court charged with these offences. You have lost a lot as a result of your conduct.”
He continued: “I wonder if you can imagine the shock and horror the victim must have experienced when the police contacted her and asked her to identify herself.
“There was an abuse of trust as the victim placed herself in a vulnerable position in your care which was something you took advantage of. This offence was driven purely by your sexual desire.”
In addition to his custodial sentence, Rushton will be on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years, abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years – or face more prosecution – in addition to paying £3000 in court fees.