Dr. Lola Salem, a 33-year-old lecturer at Oxford University, is facing trial on charges of possessing multiple indecent photographs of a child. Salem, who was previously in a relationship with Tory peer Michael Gove, has been suspended from her position at Oriel College, where she has taught music since 2022. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. A procedural hearing took place at Oxford Crown Court on September 30, where her trial was scheduled for March 2028.
Salem has been charged with possessing three category B indecent images of children between May 19, 2021, and February 13, 2023, as well as one category C indecent image during the same period. She is expected to argue in her defense that the images were sent to her unsolicited and that she reported them to the police.
In May 2026, Salem was charged by Thames Valley Police alongside Henry Hopwood-Phillips, a historian and geopolitical analyst. Hopwood-Phillips admitted to charges of taking and distributing indecent photographs of a child and received a 15-month suspended sentence along with a sexual harm prevention order.
Salem has an academic background that includes a PhD in music from Oxford, where she specialized in the influence of female singers on operatic repertoire. She has also worked as head of development at the Canterbury Institute and has been involved in various leadership and research initiatives.
Oriel College confirmed that they were made aware of the charges against Salem in June 2026 and suspended her pending the outcome of the legal proceedings.