BODGAN MICLOVICI SENTENCED IN DIDCOT FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AT THE HART OF HARWELL AND KIDINGTON

A man named Bogdan Miclovici, aged 59, has been formally convicted and sentenced for a series of serious sexual offences committed against six women who were employed under his management. The incidents took place at two well-known establishments near Didcot: The Hart of Harwell and The Royal Sun in Kidlington. The court proceedings, held at Oxford Crown Court, culminated on May 20 with a sentencing that reflects the gravity of his actions.

Between 2016 and 2022, Miclovici, who served as a pub manager, engaged in repeated inappropriate conduct towards young women aged between 16 and 32 years old. The misconduct involved touching the women on their buttocks, hips, legs, and backs, often during his shifts behind the bar or while giving them lifts home in his vehicle. The court found that some of these offences involved multiple instances of inappropriate touching, with some women experiencing more than five separate incidents. His position as an employer was deemed an abuse of trust, which compounded the severity of his sexual misconduct.

Victims provided impact statements that painted a disturbing picture of the lasting effects of Miclovici’s actions. One woman expressed her ongoing distress, stating, “What happened in the past has deeply affected me and it has been in my mind ever since,” expressing her shock that such behaviour could still occur “in the present day.” Another victim, who faced three counts involving multiple incidents, recounted her experience at The Hart of Harwell, describing it as her second job. She revealed that she quickly learned to be wary of her manager, feeling compelled to dismiss sexually inappropriate comments with laughter and to keep secret when he touched her. She lamented, “I wish I had spoken up sooner, not for my own sake, but for the young girls that suffered from him.”

Additionally, another woman shared her ongoing anxiety about encountering Miclovici, often calling in sick to avoid seeing him. Despite the overwhelming evidence and the testimonies, Miclovici maintains his innocence. He has appealed his conviction on procedural grounds, claiming that his barrister was unprepared and that the allegations are false. He argued that the accusations were made by inexperienced young women who misunderstood his actions and that two women had motives to falsely accuse him, allegedly recruiting others to do so.

Judge Hassan Khan addressed Miclovici directly, stating that he “does not understand the seriousness of his actions.” Recognizing the need for a strong response, the judge rejected the possibility of a suspended sentence. Instead, Miclovici was sentenced to two years and six months in prison. Furthermore, a sexual harm prevention order was imposed, lasting for ten years, to protect potential future victims from any further misconduct by him.