Rape complainant made to watch sex act video during ‘attacker’s’ trial
A woman who claims she was raped by a police officer was shown a video of herself performing a solo sex act in court.
The alleged victim was shown a number of explicit pictures and videos of herself in front of Bournemouth Crown Court.
One of the clips was filmed by the accused police officer Sgt Richard Heard, 44, of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary.
He has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and three counts of voyeurism.
Defending, Matthew Butts KC, showed the intimate images to the jury and the media, with only the public gallery being cleared.
After it was shown Judge Susan Evans KC: ‘I think the complainant is going to find it quite hard to watch another video.’
The alleged victim, a female police officer, said she did not remember the recording being taken in August 2022, around the time she claims the second rape took place.
The lawyers then a read a description of a further recording rather than playing it to the court, BBC reports.
Mr Butt said because the alleged victim put her hand over the camera the ‘sex was entirely consensual’.
She replied: ‘No.’
The court previously heard the Sgt Heard joked to the alleged victim ‘it’s not rape if you enjoy it at the end’.
The alleged victim claims the first rape happened in July 2022.
In a recorded police interview from September 2023, the alleged victim said: ‘He undid my belt, it felt like tug of war, I said no and then I pulled up to pull my trousers up and he pushed me back down.’
She eventually ‘just stopped fighting’ and took photos of the bruising on her arm.
The next reported rape happened in August, in which he allegedly told her: ‘I like it when it hurts you.’
A recording was made, with the alleged victim saying she wished her own phone had been used.
The third alleged rape happened in September 2022, and when asked by the victim to stop, Sgt Heard replied: ‘I’ll be quick.’
Another video was made, with the victim telling the court: ‘I just remember asking him to put the phone away.’
The offences all reportedly happened when he was off duty between January 2022 and August 2023.
The trial continues.
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