A handyman who masturbated over a woman’s pants when he was called to fix a faulty washing machine has walked away without a stain on his record.
Simon Lawrence was contracted by a landlord to fix the appliance at a cottage a couple rented in Sussex, UK.
The couple weren’t home on December 19, 2022, when Lawrence, 55, was given a key to the premises to complete the work. However, as the pair – Joanna and Thomas Jones – were driving to Somerset for Christmas, the camera they had in their bedroom activated.
The motion sensor camera was installed to keep an eye on their pet cat – and the handyman had no idea.
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Joanna watched as Lawrence laid out her pants on the bed and began masturbating.
Reported by SussexOnlineNews, she told the court: “Watching this was absolutely horrifying and I felt extremely violated. I will have to carry this burden for the rest of my life.
“When we returned, I could not stay in the bedroom and threw all my underwear away. We had to move out of the house because I felt completely unsafe there.”
Lawrence was first arrested for burglary but this charge was dropped as he had been handed a key by the owner to do the work.
Lawrence, of The Street, Sedlescombe, told the court he went into the bedroom as he was asked to check the eaves at the front of the house which he died from the window.
However, he said he became aroused when he saw a pair of the victim’s pants on the floor. He proceeded to get more out of her drawers and when he finished he placed it back.
The handyman thought he had privacy and didn’t know there was a camera.
Footage of the incident was circulated around the community.
He said: “A lot of my work was based in Sedlescombe, with regular customers and that’s all but dried up because of things that have been said around the village.
“It’s possible at the point where I am going to have to sell our house because we can’t live here anymore.
“I’m extremely apologetic for what I did.”
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Lawrence was then charged with criminal damage, but no physical damage had been done to the underwear.
His lawyer, Judy Tamony, told the court: “My client thought there was nobody else around. It’s a completely private act, he’s not aware of any TV cameras being in that room.”
They added: “The behavior was outrageous and can be viewed as reprehensible and he’s already been punished for that because it spread like wildfire through the village and it’s affected his livelihood and reputation.
“But a criminal offence? The evidence just doesn’t add up.”
Prosecuting barrister David Packer said: “The Crown is relying on the wider definition of criminal damage. Joanna Hatton decided to dispose of her whole underwear drawer as a result of this, which interfered in the enjoyment of her property.”
However, the judge dismissed the case as for the criminal damage charge, the defendant has to be proved to have intended to or was reckless in causing damage to someone else’s property without lawful excuse.
District judge Tessa Szagun told Lawrence: “I do not consider that I need to determine whether any damage has been caused to the underwear. The point in question here is whether the prosecution is able to satisfy me so that I am sure on the element of intention or recklessness.
“Whilst this was of course a disturbing and distressing action on your part which has understandably left the complainant feeling violated and repulsed, I cannot be satisfied that this was something that you could have known in the circumstances or foreseen.
“Based on being not sure of the intention or recklessness in this case, I dismiss the matter. You can go.”
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