Bogdan Miclovici

Bogdan Miclovici, aged 59, a former pub manager in Oxfordshire, was sentenced at Oxford Crown Court on Tuesday, May 20, 2024, following his conviction on 10 counts of sexual assault. Miclovici abused his position of authority at two pubs—the Hart o Harwell near Didcot and the Royal Sun in Kidlington—to target six women employed under him, aged between 16 and 32 years old. The assaults occurred over a period from 2016 to 2022, involving repeated inappropriate touching of the victims' buttocks, hips, legs, and backs, with some counts encompassing multiple instances of abuse, up to five times in certain cases.

Thames Valley Police investigated the allegations, leading to Miclovici's arrest and subsequent trial. The court heard victim impact statements from the women, who described the profound and lasting effects of the harassment. One victim stated: "What happened in the past has deeply affected me and it has been in my mind ever since." Another recounted: "I felt forced to laugh off sexually inappropriate comments and keep secrets about when he touched my body. It was horrifying, but I was scared to tell anybody. I didn’t feel like I had the words to express what was happening." The victims, protected by legal anonymity, highlighted the fear and confusion they experienced due to Miclovici's position as their employer.

Despite the convictions, Miclovici maintained his innocence, telling probation officers that the allegations were false and stemmed from "inexperienced" young women who "misunderstood" the interactions. He has lodged an appeal on a procedural ground, claiming his barrister was inadequately prepared. Judge Hassan Khan imposed a custodial sentence of two years and six months' imprisonment on Miclovici. Additionally, a sexual harm prevention order was made to last for 10 years, aimed at restricting his future behaviour. Following the sentencing, Thames Valley Police released Miclovici's custody image to the public.