Joey Mawson, a 29-year-old Australian racer, has been identified as the individual accused of sexually assaulting a nurse working for Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher at Schumacher’s residence in Gland, Switzerland. The alleged incident occurred after a party at Schumacher’s house, where Mawson is accused of assaulting the unconscious woman on two occasions.
Mawson has refuted the allegations, asserting that his relationship with the nurse was consensual and close. He claimed that they had previously shared a kiss at a nightclub in Geneva.
Originally from Sydney, Australia, Mawson was once considered a promising Formula 1 talent before deciding to return to racing in Australia due to a decline in his performance.
A close acquaintance of Mick Schumacher, Mawson competed against notable figures in the sport such as Lando Norris of McLaren and George Russell of Mercedes.
A trial was set to commence this week, with the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the District of La Cote preparing a detailed indictment for the case. However, Mawson, a two-time Australian S5000 champion who is currently banned from racing due to a doping scandal, failed to appear in court on the scheduled date.
Despite Mawson’s absence, the trial was formally initiated but subsequently postponed to a later unspecified date, according to reports by The Sun.
It is important to note that no members of the Schumacher family are implicated in this legal matter.
The indictment by the Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses Mawson of sexually assaulting a nurse working for Schumacher while she was unconscious after a night involving vodka cocktails. The nurse, who remains unnamed, was reportedly a live-in caregiver for Schumacher, who requires constant care following a skiing accident in 2013.
Court documents allege that Mawson was present at Schumacher’s residence on the night of the incident, which is believed to have occurred on November 23, 2019. Mawson was reportedly playing pool with two other staff members when the nurse joined them after completing her shift.
Following the nurse’s return to her room, Mawson allegedly went to her and committed the assault while she was unconscious. The nurse lodged a criminal complaint over two years later, in January 2022.