StreetCube Founder Jailed for Sexual Assault
Pascal Gerrard attacked woman during modelling shoot
Pascal Gerrard aka Pascal Molliere. Picture: Central News
The man who founded StreetCube which hosted a number of food stalls in front of the Southside Shopping Centre in Wandsworth has been jailed for three years for sexual assault.
Pascal Gerrard, who was calling himself Pascal Moliere at the time of the offence, attacked a young woman at a modelling shoot he arranged with her when he was working as a photographer.
The 55-year-old, formerly of Enterprise Way, who since moved to Hampshire, had been found guilty in February at Southwark Crown Court and this Tuesday (12 April) was sentenced at the same court. As well as the jail term he was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and a destruction order was made on the photos he took.
He was convicted on three counts, two of which relate to sexual assault by inappropriate touching and the third count relates to sexual assault by kissing.
Mollliere and his victim initially spoke in July 2010 through a website used by actors to find work and book relevant services.
The woman, who was in her twenties at the time of the offence, had aspirations of becoming an actress, and needed headshots for her portfolio. She believed Molliere to be a reputable photographer and booked an appointment with him through a web site.
Molliere told her that the shoot would last around one hour, cost £400, and that headshots wouldn’t take long to complete. He suggested that the victim 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 in Molliere’s studio in Fulham, 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 session continued, Molliere became increasingly tactile as he suggested positioning for the photos. Initially, the victim believed that Molliere was simply helping her to achieve the best outcome.
The victim then changed in to the ‘sexy’ clothing Molliere had suggested, some of which he asked her to remove as the photoshoot progressed. He then sexually assaulted her by sexual touching and kissing her.
The woman was distressed by his actions but was afraid to show this to Molliere being aware that the door was locked and fearing he could harm her. She stayed until the end of the booked time to avoid confrontation.
When she made to leave, Molliere suggested that she might attend his home address to take part in another photoshoot with other women, which she declined.
Following the shoot, the victim 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. The prosecution contended that this was indicative of his guilt during the trial.
Some years later, the victim later saw an article in ta newspaper in relation to Molliere being cleared at court for a series of similar sexual offences. This and the #Metoo movement inspired the victim to report the allegation to the police in 2019.
DC David Roberts, from the Met’s Public Protection Unit, 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.”
If you have been a victim of sexual assault, you can contact police on 999, 101, or online at www.met.police.uk.
You can also speak 100% anonymously to the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. Calls are never traced and computer IP addresses are never tracked.
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April 12, 2022