The officer said he sent the pic to a friend because he’d asked to be kept ‘updated with things’
A police officer who photographed an 18-year-old woman’s breasts before texting her “god I’d do you” told jurors there was “nothing sexualised” about his behaviour.
PC Paul Hinchcliffe has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault following a work event where he allegedly “simulated ejaculation” by flicking beer foam at her chest.
Leeds Crown Court previously heard the 46-year-old had taken a picture of the woman’s face covered in beer foam, before telling her: “I’m going to have a w*nk to that tonight.”
When the 18-year-old returned home and was reduced to “tears”, Hinchcliffe sent her a text with a series of emojis that she took to represent masturbation, it was heard.
But under cross-examination on Thursday, Hinchcliffe, a training officer with South Yorkshire Police, claimed the woman had “consented” to him taking the photos of her.
And told jurors he did not “fancy” the teenager while adding that other members of the force who attended the social event thought his actions were “funny”.
He said about his text messages: “At that point, I was incredibly drunk. As soon as I realised, I apologised. I appreciate they are going to look awful. They look awful.
“But there was nothing sexualised intended or otherwise.
“Previously, the messages up until that point had been amicable. I had no reason not to message her. Up until that point, we had still been laughing and joking about things.”
The alleged incident unfolded when the serving officer was drinking in a pub in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, on October 3, 2020, with three other members of the force.
Louise Reevell, prosecuting, said Hinchliffe’s alleged victim was invited to the night out through a Whatsapp group that another woman, Jade Henry, had set up called “Sesh”.
But Reevell said during the evening, Hinchcliffe began making inappropriate comments after the woman’s proposed “boob job” came up in conversation.
And later, the court heard how the defendant then began flicking bits of beer foam into her chest and down into her breasts while making “grunting” noises.
He then took a photo of the woman’s face and sent it to a friend called “Ian”, but claimed Thursday that his actions should be seen in the context of the social event.
He said: “You have to put the photo in the context of when it was taken. I don’t think it was sexual.
“I took the photo to send to Ian because he said ‘Keep me updated with things’. I thought it was funny, he would find it funny.”
Jurors were told that when the woman later returned home, Hinchliffe sent her a message saying: “God I’d do you, is that bad?”
He also sent her a message which was accompanied by a series of emojis that she took to represent masturbation.
Speaking about the message, he said: “I wasn’t saying I was masturbating, which is a ridiculous thing in my mind anyway. I was saying she looked nice in the picture.
“When I sent the message to my friend before, it was funny, and I just meant she looked pretty. I was drunk.
“I didn’t fancy her. She was less than half my age.”
When Hinchcliffe was interviewed in April last year, his solicitor made a prepared statement saying the alleged victim had consented to him taking the photo of her.
He has since been suspended from duties while an internal misconduct investigation is on hold pending the outcome of the criminal proceedings.
Hinchcliffe denies one count of sexual assault.
The trial continues.
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