‘Gender-critical’ campaigner apologises for ‘crass’ comments to Good Law Project director
Richard Dunstan (right) next to Sex Matters co-founder Maya Forstater (left). (X/Twitter)
Richard Dunstan (right) next to Sex Matters co-founder Maya Forstater (left). (X/Twitter)
‘Gender-critical’ campaigner Richard Dunstan has apologised after claiming a human rights charity’s director “secretly enjoyed” being the victim of child sexual abuse.
Warning: This article makes mention of sexual assault and child sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.
The online commentator, who holds ties to organisers at the ‘gender-critical’ group Sex Matters, apologised “unreservedly” for his social media comments about Good Law Project director Jolyon Maugham KC and making light of the abuse he was subjected to as a child.
Mr Maugham, 54, filed a police report against Mr Dunstan in December after he posted a tweet which falsely suggested the director “secretly enjoyed” being raped.
The tweet made reference to a passage in the British barrister’s book, Bringing Down Goliath, in which he shared that, at 16 years old, he was sexually abused by a secondary school teacher and later by a 50-year-old man whom he shared a flat with.
“According to his booky-wook, he was b******* by some dirty old men before he left New Zealand,” Mr Dunstan wrote. “Maybe he secretly enjoyed it? A little bit. And so what if he did?”
Mr Maugham said that the post had “lingered with” him for several days after reading it, adding that he remained distressed for weeks afterwards.
Richard Dunstan calls comments ‘crass and deeply regrettable’
In an update published on Monday (26 January), the Good Law Project said that Mr Dunstan had contacted Mr Maugham unprompted to apologise for his comments.
In an email, he wrote: “I would like to apologise unreservedly to you, your family and GLP staff for my recent comments on social media. These were crass and deeply regrettable … To ensure that there is no repeat, I undertake to withdraw entirely, and permanently, from all public debate about you, the GLP and all related matters.”
The email was sent shortly after Metropolitan Police contacted Mr Dunstan for a statement regarding Mr Maugham’s complaint, according to Good Law Project.
He wrote asking the legal director to “bestow compassion” on him by dropping the report, adding: “I may not deserve it, but please give my family this chance, Jolyon. They do not deserve to suffer for my actions.”
Mr Maugham confirmed that after handing the email to the Met Police, he agreed to treat the potential offence as a “Community Resolution”.
He further asked Mr Dunstan to make a £5,000 to Refuge and to apologise in a statement drafted by Good Law Project, which he has declined to do so. Mr Maugham now intends to bring civil proceedings against him.
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