THIRU MARKANDOO SENTENCED IN ST BEES AND WORKINGTON SEX ASSAULT CASE

In a recent court ruling at Carlisle Crown Court, Thiru Chavlan Markandoo, a 55-year-old businessman with ties to both St Bees and Workington, was sentenced to a total of 21 months in prison following a serious sexual assault incident and subsequent attempts to obstruct justice.

Markandoo's last known residence was on Jane Street in Workington. The court heard that he was convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy at the Seacote Hotel located in St Bees. The assault took place on April 9 of the previous year, during which the victim had visited the Beachcomber bar within the hotel premises.

According to the prosecution, the incident unfolded after Markandoo, who had been watching explicit videos in his office, offered the young boy alcohol and suggested that he stay overnight at the hotel, claiming the boy was too intoxicated to return home. The court was told that after the boy went upstairs and fell asleep, Markandoo inappropriately touched him outside his clothing between the legs. The victim managed to tell him to stop, which Markandoo did immediately.

Prosecutor Kim Whittlestone detailed that the assault was a deeply troubling act, emphasizing the inappropriate nature of the conduct and the context in which it occurred. The court also learned that five weeks after the incident, Markandoo attempted to influence one of his employees to falsely deny that the assault had taken place. This effort to pervert the course of justice resulted in additional charges against him.

During the hearing, defence lawyer Lloyd Morgan expressed remorse on behalf of his client, stating that Markandoo deeply regretted his actions. Morgan explained that the attempt to persuade an employee to lie was driven by a fear of damaging his reputation, which he valued highly as a businessman. The court was informed that Markandoo’s hotel business has since been sold.

As part of his sentence, Markandoo was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and is prohibited from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16 for five years. Furthermore, he faces a forthcoming court hearing next month regarding allegations of illegal electricity consumption, which could result in additional penalties, including the obligation to pay legal costs from the £40,000 cash he was found with when arrested at Manchester Airport while attempting to leave the country and evade bail.

Overall, the case highlights the serious consequences of misconduct and the importance of justice in safeguarding vulnerable individuals and maintaining public trust.