Married City lawyer, 41, sent leaked nude pictures of a Love Island star to a teenage legal assistant, 18, and told her he wanted to have sex in front of their colleagues, tribunal hears
- Oliver Bretherton, 41, allegedly gave the 18-year-old explicit sexual instructions
- He is accused of misconduct against three junior female colleagues at the firm
- Allegedly sent images of Love Island star but denied doing so on many occasions
A married city lawyer sent leaked nude pictures of a Love Island star to a teenager legal assistant – and told her that he wanted to have sex in front of their colleagues, a tribunal has heard.
Oliver Bretherton, 41, is also accused of encouraging the 18-year-old to have unprotected sex with a man on her first date because ‘he enjoyed her taking risks’.
Bretherton admitted he sent her links to porn he liked and erotic literature – but denied that it was on many occasions. The tribunal heard he sent leaked images ‘relating to’ one Love Island star – but denied doing so on many occasions.
The lawyer denied that the pictures were of Love Island star Zara McDermott – who has previously spoken out about having her nude images circulated when she was younger.
Nimi Bruce, for the Solicitors Regulation Authority, asked him: ‘Do you accept that you had discussed sending Person A leaked nudes of a TV Love Island star?’
City lawyer Oliver Bretherton (pictured), 41, sent leaked nude pictures of a Love Island star to a teenage legal assistant, a disciplinary tribunal has heard
‘Yes,’ replied Bretherton. ‘Do you remember which Love Island Star? Was it Zara McDermott?’ asked Ms Bruce.
‘No, it wasn’t,’ said Bretherton.
‘Are you aware that there is at least one Love Island star who has talked about having suicidal thoughts due to nude pictures shared online?’ said Ms Bruce.
‘I was not aware of this’ replied Bretherton.
Bruce also claimed that Bretherton told the 18-year-old he wanted to ‘f*** her and he would do it in the office and he didn’t care if there was a glass wall’.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal has heard that married banking and finance specialist Bretherton recruited the woman, known as Person A, around five years ago, just after she had finished her A-levels.
The teenager was hired by international law firm Gowling WLG after being interviewed by Bretherton. The alleged misconduct is said to have begun in 2017, shortly before he married Laura Innes in a traditional Scottish ceremony, and lasted for almost two years.
The lawyer was a director of Gowling WLG at the time of the allegations. He is now a banking and finance partner with the law firm Gunnercooke.
He allegedly sent her a video of himself performing a solo sex act, told her what to wear, demanded to know where she was and who she was with, timed her toilet breaks and threw ping-pong balls down teen worker’s dress.
Bretherton is also alleged to have told the 18-year-old to have unprotected sex with a man on their first date. He told the tribunal that he was on a break in Scotland when she sent him pictures of herself having sex with another man.
He claimed that the ‘unsolicited’ photos were sent ‘to try and arouse me’. ‘I had limited access to my phone because I was with my wife. I was alone with my wife, so it was hard to message back,’ he said.
Bretherton is also alleged to have told the 18-year-old to have unprotected sex with a man on their first date
The woman claims that Bretherton was ‘controlling’. She alleges that Bretherton knew she was going on a first date and instructed her to sleep with the man. She told the tribunal: ‘I did because I knew that Oliver would be angry with me if I did not.
‘He also asked me to send him pictures of me having sex and that I was not to use a condom or be on the pill because he enjoyed me taking risks.’
Bretherton denied instructing her. He told the tribunal: ‘I never really understood what Person A was doing in her dating life.’
He denies allegations of sexually motivated conduct towards three woman including Person B, who claims Bretherton described her as ‘hot’.
A third complainant claims Bretherton behaved inappropriately towards her in a sexualised manner.
Giving evidence, Bretherton recalled that Person A was a ‘very confident’ individual. He said: ‘The impression I got from Person A was that she was very confident and I didn’t get the impression she wasn’t doing things that weren’t office behaviour.’
Acknowledging there was a power imbalance between them that never shifted over time, he said: ‘I was more senior and she was junior. I accept there was a power imbalance.’
Bretherton accepts that he discussed Person A’s sex life and told her a picture of her turned him on. He denies that he told her he was masturbating to it. He also admits sending a message asking her to take her underwear off, describing sex and what it would ‘feel and taste like’.
The lawyer said: ‘Yes, we exchanged messages of that nature but I don’t remember the details. I remember we discussed positions.’
Bretherton denied Ms Bruce’s suggestion he was a ‘risk taking thrill seeker’. He also denied persuading Person A to buy a sex toy and telling her to pleasure herself with it.
He said: ‘No I never gave her anything. We had conversations where she explained she was using the vibrator, I could have asked her in that context but I cannot recall a specific situation where I asked her [to use the vibrator].
‘I admit what I was doing was inappropriate behaviour. I was married. I don’t think I can sit here and claim morally it was the right thing to do. ‘Morally I was betraying my wife. I have hurt loved ones.’
Ms Bruce replied: ‘We’re not talking about morality, we’re talking about lack of integrity.’
Bretherton claimed he was not certain of the difference between the two words. In relation to a kiss between him and Person A on an office chair, Bretherton said: ‘I’m not proud of what I did but it was consensual at that time and I don’t think it’s wrong for two adults to engage in a consensual relationship.
‘I had a relationship between someone who I viewed at the time as an adult, very mature, very confident.
‘At the time I believed that it was something that not only did she want to engage between two consenting adults engaging in an activity which they both wanted to get involved with and it was equal.
‘In terms of the involvement of the input in the relationship, I would possibly say she tried to instigate more but I definitely instigated, but it [the relationship] was equal for sure.’
The lawyer was a director of Gowling WLG (pictured) at the time of the allegations. He is now a banking and finance partner with the law firm Gunnercooke
When Bretherton asked Person A to spread their legs in the office chair he said: ‘I was aroused, yes. I do disagree that I was a risk-taking thrill seeker.’
Recalling a kiss with person A at the pub during a work social, Bretherton said: ‘That was away from everyone. I definitely didn’t want to take a risk there and it’s something I regretted immediately.
‘I think, in the example of the kiss, I think it was out of character because we had been drinking.
‘It was consensual but it wasn’t the thrill of the tension of being caught that made that happen and I think the way I reacted to it makes that point.
‘I don’t know who could or couldn’t have seen.’
Ms Bruce said: ‘So it’s not so much of an incredible suggestion that you might have said you would f-k her in the office and you wouldn’t care if there was a glass wall?’
Bretherton replied: ‘I did not say that to her… I find that suggestion very far fetched as I would never do that.’
The hearing continues.
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