The owner of Hampton’s Swiss Chalet grabbed the bottoms of people who worked for him, sent them inappropriate texts, promised lavish holidays and told a 14-year-old boy he “couldn’t hold a cock”, a court heard.
Myck Djurberg, 56, owns the Hampton Riviera and Boatyard. The 150-year-old listed chalet was originally shipped over from Switzerland in 1882.
He denies four counts of sexual assault between November 2013 and June 2015 and appeared in Kingston Crown Court today (July 11).
Ruby Selva, prosecuting, said Mr Djurberg, who is sexually attracted to men, “took a shine” to his victims and “gave them unwanted attention” that culminated in “them being touched, grabbed or having their bottoms slapped.”
She added: “He would also make sexual comments and innuendos to others working for him.”
Mr Djurberg is said to have texted one man telling him to go to the gym and that he would “give him a real workout”, days after he had told him he had a “peachy bottom.”
Another man said Mr Djurberg told people he would take them on holiday to the Dominican Republic.
He said: “At first we did take these offers seriously.
“We saw him as funding all these luxury boathouses and he said he had a grand hotel in the Dominican Republic.
“None of it came true.”
The 150-year-old Swiss Chalet in Hampton
He added: “Myck used to tell us he was a doctor and he had houses here and houses there and we all believed him until after a while we realised none of it was true and he was just a dreamer.”
The court heard Mr Djurberg shouted inappropriate insults at a 14-year-old.
He said: “He screamed ‘look at all this mess. You can’t tidy up just like you can’t hold a cock.’
“This was said to a 14-year-old boy.
“We instantly gave each other that sort of look that means ‘that isn’t right, that’s not what you say.
“We just thought it was a very weird thing to say.”
Ms Selva told the jury: “It may be easy to think that these allegations can be dismissed” or that these people “will have heard much worse before”.
“But it is the Crown’s case that this defendant has a sexual liking for the (victims).
“He took advantage of his power and control. He did this because he could.”
The trial continues.
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