Conran's son admits sex attack

The youngest son of Sir Terence Conran today admitted launching a terrifying sex attack on a tourist in a London park.

Edmund Conran, 31, groped the 31-year-old American, bit her arms and breast and "appeared crazy" as he launched his attack and only broke off when disturbed by a passing cyclist. The court heard that he was suffering from a serious mental illness.

The woman, who was left covered with bite marks and bruises, believed she was going to be raped by Conran, Blackfriars Crown Court was told.

His mother, Caroline Conran and his half-brother, fashion designer Jasper Conran were in court as the attack was described.

They heard that Conran later told a psychiatrist: "I must have been mad." His own barrister, Stephen Solley said: "That he is capable of doing such a thing is terrifying for him."

Conran, who has been held in a secure psychiatric unit since the attack, sat impassively as details of the woman's ordeal were described.

Brendan Kelly, prosecuting, told how on 22 August last year the woman, who had just arrived from New York on her way to India, had gone out with friends to a pub and then had gone to Woody's nightclub in Westbourne Park where they noticed Conran in the VIP lounge.

She invited him to join their group after he asked about her accent and introduced himself as "Neddy".

Soon afterwards he invited her outside for a smoke and as there were other people around she felt safe although he tried to kiss her and asked if she had a boyfriend, the court heard.

In the first of three incidents he grabbed her arms and he only let go when a skateboarder intervened. "She recalled the defendant being aggressive and having glazed eyes," said Mr Kelly.

She went back to the club to rejoin her friends but left a little while later to get film for her camera. As she did so she was unexpectedly tackled from behind by Conran who grabbed her neck and shoulders and pushed her to the ground. She was able to struggle free after pushing him away.

"She talked to him but he appeared as if he was high on drugs," said Mr Kelly. "It was clear to her that in the intervening period he'd taken some form of drugs."

She told police that Conran had lost his hat during the attack and was "whimpering like a child" asking her to help him find it when he launched the third and most serious assault.

"She was tackled again to the ground," said Mr Kelly. "She screamed 'get off me, get the f... off me'.

"She thought he was about to rape her. He pushed his pelvis into her, breathing heavily and grunting as he did so."

He forced his arm between her legs. She tried to protect herself by attempting to gouge his eyes and bite him. She screamed and he then placed his hand over her mouth, the court was told.

It was then that she was bitten on her arms and breast. As she continued screaming for help he tried forcing grass into her mouth to stop her screams.

"He put his hand around her throat and she recalled being hardly able to breathe and at some stage she recalls blacking out," said Mr Kelly.

"A cyclist heard her screams and sought their origin," said Mr Kelly. "He shouted at the defendant who ran away holding his trousers."

Arrested a few days later Conran said that injuries caused to his hand and arm, including a bite mark, were caused when he fell off his bike. Today Conran pleaded guilty to the indecent assault for the first time despite, as his counsel claimed, having lost his memory about it.

Conran has since been interviewed by psychiatrists for the prosecution and the defence. "Both consider that at the time of the offence the defendant was mentally ill," said Mr Solley. They agreed he was suffering from a psychotic illness in which he'd lost touch with reality and suffered serious disturbance of his thoughts and emotions.

"He has the courage to accept he must have done what is described of him," he said. "You are dealing with somebody who on agreed psychiatric evidence was seriously ill with a serious psychotic illness."

The court heard that in 1991 Conran had been treated at the Priory Hospital for mental illness thought at the time to be drug related.

Conran will be sentenced later.

A spokesman for Sir Terence Conran said he was "unavailable for comment".