Glenn Thexton, a high-profile Melbourne lawyer, is facing a potential lifetime ban from practising law in Victoria following his conviction for sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl.
The Victorian Legal Services Board has filed a motion in the Supreme Court to have Thexton removed from the legal profession, marking one of the most serious professional sanctions possible.
The conviction stems from an incident in September 2019 outside Queens Kebabs on King Street in Melbourne’s CBD. Court documents indicate Thexton, 46, groped the teenage victim while leaving a social gathering near the kebab shop. CCTV footage captured him approaching the girl from behind, though the exact moment of contact was obscured from view.
In August, Melbourne Magistrates’ Court magistrate Andrew Waters fined Thexton $5,000 and recorded a conviction, emphasizing the need to send a strong message that such behaviour is unacceptable. Because the victim was underage, Thexton has been placed on the sex offenders register for eight years, requiring regular reporting.
During sentencing proceedings earlier this year, Thexton claimed he had lost everything as a result of the case, including more than $400,000 and his legal practice. Magistrate Waters acknowledged the hardship but highlighted that Thexton had not accepted responsibility or shown remorse for his actions.
Thexton has maintained his innocence and is appealing his sexual assault conviction. His legal representative argued that removing him from the legal profession before the appeal constitutes a breach of the rule of law and undermines judicial processes.
The incident occurred while Thexton was intoxicated and socialising with colleagues. The teenage victim had been attending an underage event at Cloud Nine nightclub when she encountered Thexton outside the kebab shop. Police charged Thexton in April 2025, and he has since been suspended from practising law.
A spokesperson for the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner declined to comment, noting that the matter is currently before the courts.
If the Supreme Court approves the motion, Thexton will face the most severe sanction available to a legal professional: permanent removal from the legal profession.
