Ex-'Southern Charm' Star Thomas Ravenel Pleaded Guilty To Assault & Will Pay A $500 Fine

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, former Southern Charm star Thomas Ravenel pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and battery in South Carolina's Charleston County court, according to WCSC-TV. During the court appearance, Ravenel received a 30-day suspended jail sentence, per the local CBS affiliate, as well as a $500 fine, as part of a plea deal.

The City of Charleston Police Department arrested the former South Carolina state treasurer in September 2018 for alleged assault and battery. (Both the Charleston PD and Charleston County Sheriff's Office confirmed the news to Bustle, at the time.) According to Ravenel's arrest affidavit obtained by People, the nanny to the reality star's children had accused Ravenel of allegedly sexually assaulting her in January 2015. Per People, the court documents included graphic details of the Ravenel sexually assaulting the nanny before she escaped. (At the time, Ravenel's attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.)

“After escaping the assault, the victim called her then ex-husband and sister and told them of the incident, fled the scene and notified several family members of the incident. Photographs were then taken immediately of the injuries to her neck and chest,” the affidavit stated, per People. “Detectives corroborated the incident date and location through employment records of the victim and defendant, and interviewed multiple witnesses, to be named at the court’s discretion, who substantiated the post-assault information. Detectives also retrieved the photographs taken by the victim, which are appropriately time-stamped in reference to the incident.”

As WCSC-TV reported, the woman (who requested she be referred to as Nanny Dawn, per People) was not in court on Sept. 11, but a judge did read a letter for her. According to the news station, Ravenel agreed with the facts of the case, stating: “Your honor, on the night of the incident I did attempt to kiss her and in so doing I grabbed her arm and that was wrong, and I am much appreciative of the opportunity to apologize to her in court today."

Nanny Dawn, who began caring for Ravenel’s two children with ex-girlfriend and costar Kathryn Dennis: daughter Kensie, 5, and son Saint, 3, in 2014, previously spoke to People about the alleged incident. “Although I believe he should be in jail for his crimes, the reality according to statistics is that he will go unpunished,” Nanny Dawn had told the magazine. “I feel the only justice I will receive is to share my story in the efforts to educate the public and support assault survivors.”

In May 2018, Perkins accused Ravenel of sexual assault. These allegations surfaced after the alleged victim's daughter wrote a blog post detailing claims. Perkins wrote that Ravenel sexually assaulted her mother in December 2015 after they matched on Tinder months prior.

Ravenel denied the claims via his late attorney, Richard P. Terbrusch, at the time. “My client enjoys a certain degree of fame, which has unfortunately made him a vulnerable target for such claims,” Terbrusch told People in a statement. “The person this woman describes is simply not the man that I know. My client is a loving father, successful businessman, and upright member of the community. He is appalled and hurt by these allegations — and is committed to defending his reputation in the appropriate legal forum.”

On May 4, Bravo issues the following statement to Bustle: "Haymaker, the production company for “Southern Charm,” and Bravo take allegations like these very seriously. Haymaker is conducting an investigation, and once all the information is gathered and carefully reviewed, appropriate action will be taken.”

Following Ravenel's Sept. 2018 arrest, Bravo confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that he would no longer appear on Southern Charm.

Hopefully there will be continued healing for all those affected by Ravenel's alleged crimes.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit hotline.rainn.org.