LONDON: A relative of Queen Elizabeth II was on Tuesday sentenced to a 10-month prison term for sexually assaulting a woman at his ancestral home in Angus, Scotland.
Earl of Strathmore Simon Bowes-Lyon, who is the son of a cousin of the 94-year-old British monarch, was found to have forced his way into the sleeping woman’s room during an event he was hosting at Glamis Castle. The 34-year-old was sentenced at Dundee Sheriff Court after he had pleaded guilty. According to the BBC, sheriff Alastair Carmichael told Bowes-Lyon in court that he had repeatedly ignored his victim’s pleas during the attack.
“Even now – one year on – she still, occasionally, has nightmares and feels panicked because of being sexually assaulted by you. This has also had an impact on her emotional wellbeing,” said Sheriff Carmichael.
Last month, Bowes-Lyon apologised for his actions after entering his guilty plea, saying he felt “greatly ashamed” for causing “such distress to a guest in my home”.
He said he had “drunk to excess” on the night of the assault, although he noted that this was “no excuse” for what transpired.
“I did not think I was capable of behaving the way I did but have had to face up to it and take responsibility,” he said outside the court.
“Over the last year this has involved seeking and receiving professional help as well as agreeing to plead guilty as quickly as possible. My apologies go, above all, to the woman concerned but I would also like to apologise to family, friends and colleagues for the distress I have caused them,” he said.
Previously, Dundee Sheriff Court heard that the woman fled the castle the morning after the attack on February 13 last year and flew home to report the matter to police, following which Police Scotland and the Metropolitan Police were involved in the investigation. Earl’s defence counsel John Scott said his client had shown “genuine remorse”.
Glamis Castle is the seat of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne, who are both part of the family of the Queen Mother – the late mother of Queen Elizabeth II.