Tuesday March 3rd 2026
Edinburgh City Chambers
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Joe Sullivan
A former Edinburgh championship boxer who was convicted of domestic abuse after a campaign of harassment against his ex-partner has been granted a window cleaning licence.
During Wednesday’s licensing committee meeting, councillors heard from police how Lewis Benson attempted to contact the woman dozens of times after the break-up.
In addition, they heard he had approached her in person several times after they separated, and that he threatened suicide during one tirade of messages.
But after hearing that other people relied on him for their employment, councillors made the call to award him the licence.
Benson boxed for Scotland during the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and competed professionally until 2019.
He pled guilty to domestic abuse at Edinburgh Sheriff Court on April 17, 2023, and was sentenced to 100 hours of community payback plus a three year non-harassment order.
Police sergeant Grant Robertson told councillors the relationship began in January 2018, but Benson’s partner began to suspect him of being unfaithful.
Throughout the relationship, Sgt Robertson said Benson had convinced his partner to stay with him when she confronted him, describing his behaviour as ‘manipulative’.
In December 2020, the victim ended the relationship, which kicked off over a year of unwanted online contact and physical approaches.
After being blocked on social media in April 2021, Benson put a note through her letterbox, and approached her on a night out in September 2021.
When she told him she did not want to speak with him, he became angry.
During a ten day stretch in December 2021, Benson extensively tried to make contact with the victim, including a ‘large number of messages’ and the suicide threat.
He also refused to delete intimate photographs from the relationship, stating that he could ‘do what he wanted’ with them.
And in early January 2022, he appeared at the victim’s place of work, continually asking her to go to dinner with him.
On January 9, she reluctantly met with him, on the understanding that he would cease trying to contact him after they met.
But in his car, Benson attempted to give her an unwanted gift, tried to embrace her, and begged her to get back with him.
After this, he made several more attempts to contact her, including 19 phone calls on one date, as well as several voice notes from his work mobile, and drove by her place of work.
In early February, he made several attempts to contact her through accounts linked to his window cleaning business, including a photo of them when they were in their relationship.
Finally, on February 20, he approached her again on a night out and made several threats and abusive comments towards her.
In late April, the victim reported Benson to the police, after which he was arrested.
Sgt Robertson added that Benson had failed to declare the offence on his application form.
Benson’s sister first spoke for him, reading a prepared statement that said he ‘fully accepted’ responsibility for failing to declare the conviction.
The statement continued: “The reason it was not included was not to mislead, but because it is a chapter of my life that I am deeply embarrassed about.
“I clearly accepted full responsibility for my actions and observe all requirements placed upon me. Since then, I have worked hard to better myself, my family and my future.”
It added that he now had a two year old son, and was focused on providing him ‘a stable and positive’ upbringing.
The statement also noted that a number of people at his window-cleaning business relied on him to make a living.
Liberal Democrat councillor Neil Ross asked: “What is your experience of window cleaning, why do you want to do this?”
Benson, now speaking for himself, replied: “I took on this company in 2019, and it’s been a rather successful company since then.
“I got my staff members licences and applied for one myself. I didn’t know I needed a licence to be honest.”
When asked how often he interacted with customers, he said that it was rare, but that he sometimes had to step in on jobs.
Conservative councillor and committee convener Joanna Mowat said: “I do think we heard from Mr Benson that he has done his community payback order.
“He’s complied with the conditions that were put on him by the court. So I think I would say he did something awful, but he has been caught, punished, and paid the price for that.
“I can see no area of public safety that would be served by us denying this licence today, and as said, he’s also an employer with employees.
“I would be concerned about the impact on the wider firm if we took an action. So I would be minded to grant this licence today.”
No alternative position was raised, and the committee agreed to grant Benson the licence.
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