Key Points
- Tim Mathieson will plead guilty to a sexual assault charge.
- The court was told Mathieson was initially facing three charges, but two have been withdrawn.
- Mathieson is former prime minister Julia Gillard's ex-partner. The couple split in 2020.
Former prime minister Julia Gillard's ex-partner will plead guilty to a sexual assault charge but hopes to escape criminal conviction.
Timothy Raymond Mathieson, 66, appeared remotely in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday by video link from his lawyer's office.
According to court documents which have been released to the media, the charge involves Mathieson sexually touching a woman by "sucking her nipples without her consent" in circumstances where he didn't reasonably believe she had consent.
The incident occurred on March 13 last year in Brunswick East, about two weeks before Gillard publicly announced their split. At the time, Gillard said the pair had broken up more than a year earlier.
The court was told Mathieson was initially facing three charges.
He sat behind his barrister Brad Penno, who said the matter had resolved and his client will plead guilty to one sexual assault charge.
The other two charges were withdrawn on Thursday, and further details of those offences were not aired in court.
Penno asked for Mathieson to be handed a diversion, which would mean he escapes a criminal conviction and has the case diverted out of the justice system.
The prosecution asked for two weeks to assess whether a diversion would be an appropriate course.
Mathieson will return to the court on 31 August for a further mention.
He was in a relationship with Gillard for more than 10 years, after meeting when he was a hairdresser.
The couple lived together at the Lodge and Kirribilli House throughout her three-year term as prime minister.
He was colloquially known as the 'first bloke', a reference to the tradition of the wives of US presidents being called first ladies.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
