FORMER NEWCASTLE COUNCILLOR THOM CAMPION GUILTY OF SEXUAL ASSAULT
A former city councillor for Newcastle was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in his bedroom after inviting her upstairs to view a "cute teddy." According to evidence presented in Newcastle Magistrates' Court, Thom Campion, aged 28, made contact with the woman after seeing her on the OnlyFans website.The woman, who is legally protected from being identified, recounted how Campion pinned her down on his bed and touched her breast without her permission.
He then pulled her to the floor by her hair, put his fingers in her mouth, and called her insulting sexual names.
Campion, who denied the allegation of sexual assault, claimed during the trial that the woman had consented to all sexual acts and that she had willingly gone upstairs to see a piece of "sexually explicit clothing" he had ordered online.
However, District Judge Paul Currer dismissed his account, finding Campion guilty of sexual assault.
The judge stated, "She repeatedly told the defendant 'no' when they were in the bedroom.
After carefully considering all the evidence, I am convinced that the defendant engaged in these sexual acts without her consent." The judge also mentioned that he needed to review a report before deciding on the sentence, noting Campion's previous good character.
The incident occurred in March 2023 at Campion's residence on Warkworth Woods, near Gosforth, following an invitation to view a teddy bear and explicit clothing that led to non-consensual sexual activity.
The victim did not report the assault immediately but disclosed it after seeing Campion running a Liberal Democrat stall at Jesmond Market and recognizing his influential position.
During her police interview, she explained that Campion had thrown her onto the bed, kissed her, touched her breasts, dragged her by her hair, and attempted to gag her with his fingers, coercing her into acts she did not agree to.
Campion was elected to Newcastle City Council in 2021, initially representing the Liberal Democrats, then as an independent, and did not stand for re-election in May.
He also previously ran as a parliamentary candidate for Cramlington and Blyth Valley under the name Thom Chapman.
