UK Edition
Former GCHQ chief fined after admitting assault during 'sexualised' game at dinner party
A former GCHQ chief was caught by his partner assaulting a female guest at a dinner party by resting his hand on her knee during a “truth or dare” game.
Brian Lord, the ex-deputy director of intelligence and cyber operations at the surveillance agency denied sexually assaulting the woman, after a court heard yesterday that he had placed his hand on her knee whilst his partner sat metres away.
Lord, who has received an OBE from the Queen in recognition of his 21 years service at GCHQ, was accused of placing his hand on the woman’s knee during a “sexualised” game at a dinner party, and resting it there for “two to three minutes”.
He later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of common assault, following a last-minute submission from the prosecution.
Lord, 56, who left GCHQ to work in the private sector in 2013, is said to have committed the offence whilst attending a colleague’s dinner party in Churchdown, near Gloucester, in November last year.
Gloucester Crown Court heard that the victim had met Lord only a handful of times before the party, with prosecutor Robert Duvall adding that Lord had placed his hand on her knee whilst guests engaged in a number of risque party games.
Mr Duvall said that Lord’s victim had felt “embarrassment and awkwardness” due to his advances, but felt unable to say anything.
However, he added that Lord’s partner, Natasha Marshall, was believed to have observed the incident, and had spoken in private with the woman before confronting him over it.
"During some party games the defendant placed his hand on the lady's knee,” he continued. “It was not momentary. It was there for a significant time and caused her embarrassment and awkwardness.
"She felt she was not in a position to deal with the situation by speaking to this defendant, expressing her concern, or leaving the table.
"Eventually, the defendant's partner left the table. It seems she may have seen his hand and the position it was in. She withdrew to the kitchen followed by the complainant. The two of them spoke together in the kitchen.
"As a result, the defendant's partner re-entered the sitting room and spoke to the defendant and there was an altercation, following which she left the premises.
"The complainant was by that stage in tears and the defendant was asked to leave. He was apologetic and left without question.”
Mr Duvall added that Lord had emphatically denied that his actions had been “sexual in nature”, adding that he held no previous convictions.
Rosemary Collins, defending, told the court that Lord had placed his hand on her knee during “sexualised party games”, adding that he had never intended any “disrespect to her at all”.
“He accepts it was something that was stupid, done in drink. At one stage he had his hand on his partner's knee as well. It was an action which was friendly.
"I would urge you to accept he has been punished enough by way of having to go through this over a period of some time."
Ordering Lord to pay £300 in victim compensation and administrative courts, Judge Michael Cullum described the former spy chief’s behaviour as “entirely out of character”.
“It was, as you realised at the time, both unwise and inappropriate and it caused, and continues to cause, significant upset. Your behaviour crossed the line to criminal behaviour, as a result of which you have lost your good name and your good character which, I know, you will have held dear."
Known as a leading thinker in the sector of cyber warfare, Lord left GCHQ in 2013 to join Protection Group International as a managing partner.