Anthony D’Ambros: Stockdale & Leggo Epping director committed sex crimes at real estate industry Christmas party

A top northern suburbs real estate agent drunkenly groped a woman’s breasts while whispering in her ear “you’re safe”.

A top northern suburbs real estate agent drunkenly groped a woman’s breasts, and shoved his hands down her underwear at an industry Christmas function, while whispering in her ear “you’re safe”.

Stockdale and Leggo Epping director Anthony D’Ambros, 50, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to three counts of intentional sexual touching a woman.

D’Ambros, a married father-of-three, and was removed as coach of one of his son’s junior Aussie rules teams when sex crimes detectives charged him over the attack on the woman.

Defence lawyer Nelson Brown told the Heidelberg Magistrates’ Court D’Ambros did not have a drinking problem, and might lose his career in real estate if convicted.

“This incident has had a significant impact on his marriage,” Mr Brown said.

Epping real estate agent Anthony D'Ambros, 50, in happier times. Picture: Supplied

D’Ambros has worked in real estate since he was 18, employs 14 staff, and has been heavily involved with the industry lobby group, the Real Estate Institute.

During an interview with detectives, D’Ambros said the drunk, vomiting woman consented to him touching her breasts.

Mr Brown told the court his client could have challenged the woman’s account of the night at a hearing instead of pleading guilty

Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Ken Marsh said D’Ambros’s victim was so drunk she vomited in her own hands when someone tried to give her some food so she would sober up. D’Ambros had also been drinking heavily.

While being driven home, D’Ambros groped the woman on the breasts, buttocks and the outside of her genitalia as she vomited into a shopping bag.

He repeatedly whispered to her “you’re safe” during the ordeal.

He only pulled his hands out of the woman’s underwear when the woman angrily said: “Get it out now and keep it out”.

Anthony D'Ambros from Stockdale & Leggo, pictured in 2014, groped a woman at an industry Christmas party.

Magistrate Meagan Keogh said: “People are entitled to go to Christmas parties and have a few drinks and be able to go home unmolested”.

“It’s not a difficult concept, it’s a really simple concept.”

She said D’Ambros’s offending was a “really serious matter”.

Without conviction, she sentenced him to a 12 month community corrections order with 180 hours of unpaid work.

According to real estate records, D’Ambros sold 23 homes in the past year.