A well-known Oxford restaurateur has had his personal licence revoked after being found guilty of sexually assaulting two women.
Hugh 'Andy' Anderson, of Cowley Road, stood before a city council licensing panel on Wednesday, August 28.
Councillors Ian Yeatman, Simon Ottino and Mark Lygo decided Mr Anderson should no longer be permitted to sell alcohol at his restaurant - the Hi Lo Jamaican Eating House in Cowley Road.
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This comes as on April 12 this year, a jury found the 74-year-old guilty of touching two different women over their clothing, one of whom was sexually assaulted on April 23 and the other on May 1, 2022.
Judge Michael Gledhill handed the restaurateur a 52-week prison sentence, 26 weeks for each count, suspended for two years.
He was also ordered to pay £3,500 to the Crown Prosecution Service and was automatically made subject to the sexual offenders notification requirement register for 10 years.
The Jamaican restaurant is currently listed as closed online but Mr Anderson has said he has plans to reopen and still has the right to sell food, the BBC reports.
A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "When the victim subsequently spoke to door supervisors working at the Hi Lo on the night, they stated ‘Yeah he gets like this when he is drunk’.
"This suggests that this behaviour has happened before. It also suggests that Mr Anderson was to a degree in an intoxicated state, which of course clouds one's judgment.
"Being able to authorise the sale of alcohol, and thereby being put in a position of responsibility and impact over the night out of a member of the public who has chosen to go out and socialise in Oxford is in itself one of great personal responsibility.
"Faith and trust is placed is placed in that individual by the named responsible authorities and the licensing authority."
A meeting paper added: "On July 12, 2024 Thames Valley Police Force licensing officer responded to the request for representation to the notice.
"Their representation detailed the circumstances of the incidents that resulted in Mr Anderson’s convictions and stated: 'Mr Anderson has been found guilty of serious relevant offences and as such, it is the recommendation of the police to the licensing committee to revoke the personal licence'."
Mr Anderson had denied the allegations at the trial and said he did not touch the women and they were "working with each other" to accuse him.
The prosecution pointed out that the women did not know each other
Mr Anderson is a well-known figure in Oxford and was previously friends with the young David Cameron who used to frequent the Hi-Lo.
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About the author
Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county.
She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.
Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi
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