Cambridge University professor gave student unwanted kiss and put his tongue in her ear

TW: This article includes mentions of SA.

An inquiry has found that a world-leading Cambridge University professor gave a female student an unwanted “slobbery kiss” and put his tongue in her ear.

The university has upheld complaints of professional and sexual misconduct against 69-year-old Simon Goldhill, a renowned classicist who has been at Cambridge since 2010.

Goldhill admitted to kissing the female student in an “overly exuberant” and “no doubt slobbery” manner. The report found he had stroked her body and touched the zip on her trousers. He also put in his tongue in her ear, but the report said this action “could have been unintentional.”

The student, who is in her 20s, said she pushed him away and made it clear she did not want to be kissed. She said she felt “scared and panicky” during the encounter, which took place in the senior common room at King’s College.

Goldhill, who had been drinking, later sent apologetic texts which “were not entirely lucid.” The report said: “[He] offered as mitigation his drunken state on the night of the incident. However, he also recognised that this does not reduce the responsibility he has for his own actions… Alcohol may well have contributed to what happened but cannot excuse it.”

The report said: “At no time in his evidence did he provide any direct evidence that he had asked for and received consent. His stated belief was that he did not need it for a goodbye kiss or ‘friendly snuggle’.”

The incident, which occurred in the autumn of 2024, was only reported in March 2025. The student delayed making a complaint due to fears about her future career and study prospects. 

An academic told the inquiry Goldhill had a lot of “clout” in the faculty and was considered to be “an exceptionally big fish.”

Following the complaint, Cambridge University began an investigation via an external consultancy. A report, produced this February, found that Goldhill had breached the university code of conduct. He had failed to follow guidelines regarding “sexual misconduct by making unwelcome and unpermitted sexual advances in the form of an embrace, touching and kisses without reasonably believing that [the student] had consented to this behaviour.”

via Unsplash

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Goldhill was still teaching for several months after the investigation began. He stepped down in October 2025. While he is scheduled to retire this September, he could still receive the honorary position of emeritus professor. Cambridge University has not yet taken any disciplinary action. 

According to the student, the university told her Goldhill was on “amended duties,” and that she wasn’t entitled to receive further details about the disciplinary process. 

The student said: “In the immediate aftermath of the incident I was in shock, and felt completely empty. I could feel that this was something that would affect me for a long time.”

“The longer-term effects and the university’s poor response have had the greatest impact on me. My studies have been significantly disrupted, and this has impacted me financially. Receiving the complaint outcome letter from the university, which essentially said ‘your complaint has been upheld, we will not tell you any consequences we may hand out, goodbye’.

“It felt like a punch in the gut after a harrowing, year-long process. It makes me feel like the university does not take the safety of their students, especially women, seriously.”

A university spokesperson said: “The University of Cambridge takes all complaints of sexual misconduct very seriously and any concerns raised by staff or students would be looked into in line with the relevant university policies and procedures, and action would be taken, where appropriate. These processes are by their nature confidential so we will not be commenting further.”

King’s College and Simon Goldhill have been contacted for comment.

If you have been affected by the contents of this article, Cambridge and ARU students can call Cambridge Nightline on 01223 744444 between 7pm and 7am every day.

You can contact the Samaritans at any time by calling 116 123. Alternatively, you can contact Shout, a 24/7 text messaging service, by texting the word “Shout” to 85258. 

Featured image via YouTube