Pascal Molliere, also known as Pascal Gerrard, 55 of Enterprise Way, Wandsworth, was found guilty on Friday, 25 February at Southwark Crown Court of three counts of sexual assault.
He will appear for sentencing at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, 12 April.
Detective Constable David Roberts, from the Public Protection Unit in the Central West BCU, said: “First and foremost, I would like to commend the survivor of this attack for her incredible bravery and courage. We know that reliving the trauma of incidents like this is horrific for survivors, and the composure she maintained throughout this trial has astounded myself and my team
“Our primary concern is that there may be more young women who have been subject to the same treatment by Molliere – who now goes by ‘Pascal Gerrard’. It is essential that, if you recognise either of these names and think that you may have been affected in a similar way, you let us know.
“We want everyone to understand that if you do not feel comfortable talking to police then there are a number of ways that you can report sexual assault, or any other crime, completely anonymously. I hope that today’s result demonstrates that the Met will stand with victims of crime.”
Mollliere and the woman initially spoke in July 2010 through a website used by actors to find work and book relevant services. The woman, who was in her 20s at the time of the offence, had aspirations of becoming an actress, and had reached out to Molliere as she believed him to be a reputable photographer who could help her produce headshots.
Molliere and the victim communicated through a messaging service on the website to agree the requirements for the shoot, before speaking briefly on the phone to confirm a date, time and location. Molliere told the woman that the shoot would last around one hour, cost £400, and that headshots wouldn’t take long to complete. He suggested that she bring alternative clothes, including lingerie, so that he could take some provocative shots for the remainder of the time, suggesting that this would be good for her portfolio.
On the day of the shoot, the woman attended Molliere’s studio in Fulham, West London. He locked the door once she was inside. He said this was to protect her privacy and prevent the photoshoot from being interrupted.
As the photo shoot progressed Molliere became increasingly tactile as he suggested positioning for the photos. Initially, the woman believed that Molliere was simply helping her to achieve the best outcome.
She then changed into the clothing Molliere had suggested, some of which he asked her to remove as the photo shoot progressed. Molliere then assaulted the woman by sexual touching and kissing her intimately.
Molliere continued the photoshoot, asking her to take on poses of a provocative nature. This made her incredibly distressed, but she was too afraid to show this. The woman, knowing that the door to the studio was locked and feeling that Molliere was potentially capable of harming her, completed the photoshoot in order to avoid confrontation.
As she was trying to leave, Molliere suggested that she might attend his home to take part in another photoshoot with other women, which she declined.
Following the shoot, the woman immediately called her boyfriend to tell him what had happened. He contacted Molliere to ask for an explanation, and Molliere promptly refunded the £400 fee for the shoot. It was put forward in court that this was indicative of his guilt.
Some years later, the woman saw an article in the newspaper in relation to the defendant being cleared at court for a series of similar sexual offences, This and the Me Too movement inspired her to report the allegation to the police in 2019.
