Honeymoon Flyer Accused Of Groping Young Student

A newly-wed groom flying home from his Hawaii honeymoon groped the thigh of a dozing young student sitting next to him for two hours, a court heard.

Robert Jan Van Den Bergh, 37, was returning home to London when he started touching the economics degree student after she took two sleeping pills, Isleworth Crown Court was told.

Van Den Bergh, of Forest Road, Hackney has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexual assault on the United Airlines Heathrow-bound flight between December 31, 2019 and January 1, 2020.

His wife was returning on a separate pre-booked flight.

“I realised two hours in it was probably on purpose what he was doing and put an airline pillow between us,” the woman told the jury. 

“The pressure would increase over time and move around up to where my underwear was. It would stop for a few seconds and start again.”

She was wearing a skirt and had a blanket over her. “It was under the blanket. It was the man sitting next to me.

“It started in the middle of my thigh, but moved around for the one and a half to two hours it was. I was too scared to look and sort of trapped in the seat and not sure what to do.”

Prosecutor Sophia Kerridge told the jury the flight took off from Los Angeles a few hours before midnight on New Year’s Eve and the complainant was in the window seat.

“On her left was this defendant, who was flying back from his honeymoon and next to him was another woman in the isle seat.

“At the beginning of the flight he engaged in small talk with the complainant and observed her taking a couple of sleeping pills and remarked that could lead to unconsciousness.

“She woke up four to five hours before the flight was due to land and she noticed something lightly touching her thigh.

“She pretended to be asleep, but saw it as the defendant stroking her and the stroking became stronger and more deliberate.

“She put a pillow between the seats in the hope it would stop things.

“He put his hand under the pillow and continued touching her left thigh and continued up towards her buttock.

“She asked to get up and spoke to the cabin crew and asked to be moved because she was uncomfortable sitting next to the defendant as he was touching her.”

A member of cabin crew told the jury the young woman was offered a middle row seat in economy and asked: “Don’t you have something in another class?”

She refused to pay the $300 upgrade fee and was seated elsewhere in economy.

Van Den Bergh complains two armed officers boarded the plane and escorted him off in front of all the other passengers and held him on the airbridge as they disembarked past him.

When questioned by police he insisted he only slept and watched movies during the flight.

Trial continues……………

County Lines Heroin Runner Caught At Euston Station

A County Lines drug-runner, caught at Euston Station with a £3,000 ball of heroin in his underpants, is starting a four-year prison sentence.

He was stopped by the British Transport Police's dedicated County Lines Taskforce, who observed him wandering around the busy station looking confused.

Gary Morrison, 24, of Brixton Hill, south London appeared at Inner London Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to possession, with intent to supply..

Just after midday on Monday March 22, last year Morrison was observed by suspicious BTP officers, who watched him dashing to a platform to board a train.

His behaviour led to him being stopped by officers who subsequently searched him under section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Morrison promptly pulled a small amount of cannabis from his underwear and a short while later pulled a golf ball sized wrap of heroin from the same location. 

Officers also found £390 in cash on him.

As he was being escorted to custody, he remarked, “I was carrying it for someone else”.

Analysis of the 22-gram ball of drugs found in Morrison’s underwear revealed it was heroin.

Detective Inspector Graham Moss said: “Morrison’s shifty behaviour came to the attention of our eagle-eyed officers in plain clothes who followed their instincts and stopped him before he embarked on his journey.

“Their work has resulted in a harmful Class A drugs out of circulation and a drug runner behind bars rethinking his criminal activity.

“Our County Lines Taskforce is devoted to making the railway a hostile environment for criminals to move drugs. 

“We’re continually developing our intelligence picture to tackle this crime type, deploying across the network at a moment’s notice to pursue offenders.”

Music Teacher Guilty Of Decades-Old Sex Abuse

The former Head of Music at a leading Surrey school has been convicted of sexually abusing a young boy while in his teenage years nearly thirty years ago.

Chris Pearson, 42, who attended the Royal College of Music lost his career when separately arrested on suspicion of “grooming” girls at Cobham Free School.

He got a job as a train guard with South Western Railway, but is now behind bars and facing a prison sentence for abusing the nine year-old boy in the 1990’s.

Married father-of-two Pearson, of Beaconsfield Road, Chatham, Kent was yesterday unanimously convicted of three counts of rape and one count of indecency with a child.

The Croydon Crown Court jury unanimously found him not guilty of another count of indecency with a child.  

He did not reveal his impressive academic background in music to the jury, which includes working with the Bromley Youth Music Trust.

Pearson graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire with a degree in music in 2002 and taught the subject at Longfield Academy, Kent and was Curriculum Leader for Performing Arts at Bacon’s College, Rotherhithe.

He fought the charges, which occurred between June, 1995 and July, 1997 at his parents’ home in Beaumont Road, Petts Wood, Orpington.

Prosecutor Richard Job told the jury Pearson was approximately sixteen or seventeen years-old and the victim regularly visited his family home between the ages of nine and eleven years-old.

The complainant was not a relative, but would spend time in Pearson’s teenage bedroom at the defendant’s invitation, initially for fun wrestling.

“The defendant would invite him up to his room to play with him, wrestling as WWF was very popular at the time.

“The defendant would try out his latest wrestling moves on the younger, weaker child,” added Mr Job.

The victim told the jury he was smaller than Pearson and would be “forced to submit” during the wrestling sessions and would “scream in agony.”

Pearson also enjoyed demanding the younger boy “beg for mercy” the court heard.

“There may have been bullying physically, but he was also sexually abused, forced down onto the bed and raped for the defendant’s sexual pleasure.

“The defendant would also ask the younger boy to play with him intimately on a number of occasions.

“The defendant took advantage of his youth and naivety, not appreciating the enormity of what was happening.

“In his teens the complainant recognised he had been abused and felt shame and disgust.”

The jury were told the complainant first revealed what happened to his half-brother in 2017 and the police were then informed.

Officers later interviewed Pearson. “He made a complete denial,” said the prosecutor.

Pearson, who was supported by this sister throughout the trial, told the jury he had never been in trouble and was a man of good character.

He claimed his parents would have easily heard any screams coming from his bedroom. “They preferred that the doors were always open  and they usually were.”

There was also a home intercom system, he told the trial, easily allowing his mother to hear what was going on in his bedroom.

Pearson denied wrestling with the boy and inflicting pain, insisting his parents had a strict rule that visiting children were banned from going upstairs.

“He has never seen me naked and it didn’t happen with me,” he told the jury.

Judge Deborah Charles questioned why there were no references from teacher colleagues on behalf of Pearson, considering his professional academic background.

“Surrey Police investigated an allegation of grooming of schoolgirls via email. They were misguided and overly friendly and not sexual,” said Lucy Organ, defending.

“Mr Pearson as arrested and questioned and there was no further action.”

The judge told the jury: “These offences were not under the current Sexual Offences Act. They are under an old Act and Mr Pearson would have been a teenager himself at the time and that has to be weighed up.

“Mr Pearson should be remanded in custody now. This is inevitably going to be a custodial sentence and the only question is the length.

“I have been told very little about the other investigation and I intend to put it out of my mind.”

Remanding Pearson in custody until March 9 Judge Charles told him: “You will go with the dock officer now. Ms Organ will be down to see you.”

Global Marketing Giant Omnicom Lost £500K To Fraudulent Employees

Suspended Sentence: Luke Ward

Two fraudsters, whose new lives in the Netherlands and Australia ended when their former employer discovered a half a million pound scam, have been sentenced.

Former colleagues at global giant Omnicom Media Group, Thomas Wilson-Ward, 36, and Luke Ward, 33, returned to the UK to face the music.

Accountant Wilson-Ward was the ringleader and pleaded guilty to defrauding the company of £519,000 between December, 2015 and March, 2019.

Croydon Crown Court heard he blew all the money on gambling, alcohol and cocaine.

Ward took over the fraud and along with Wilson-Ward pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the company of £83,000 between October, 2018 and March, 2019.

Wilson-Ward received three years imprisonment and Ward twenty months imprisonment, suspended for two years, plus 200 hours community service work and fifteen days of rehab.

He also spent the proceeds on alcohol and cocaine, plus paying off some credit card bills.

The company's corporate clients include Apple; Adidas; Nissan; Exxon Mobil and VW.

Prosecutor Stefan Hyman told the court Wilson-Ward was a purchase ledger manager, who had access to Omnicom’s computer and accountancy system and simply paid money into his own bank account.

“False invoices were manufactured of companies who provided services to Omnicom and a total of forty transfers were made to the defendant’s account.”

When Wilson-Ward was made redundant from the company’s London HQ in Southwark the fraud continued with Ward, who was employed as a contractor at the company.

By the time their scam was exposed Wilson-Ward was living in Amsterdam and Ward in Perth. “It is to their credit they are here,” said Mr Hyman.

Extradition proceedings were not necessary and both defendants voluntarily returned to the UK for interviews with the company and then the police.

Wilson-Ward’s lawyer Charlotte McNally told the court: “In the last three years he has sought to rebuild his life after feeling he had been sucked into the London media world whirlwind.

“He told the police he was in a dark place and had developed an addiction to gambling, alcohol and cocaine.”

Ward’s lawyer Rakesh Bhasin said: “He followed a method devised by Wilson-Ward after he helped his work colleague in the cover-up.

“He turned to cocaine and heavy drinking before moving to Australia with his partner. The family have now moved back to Kent.”

Recorder Nicholas Yeo told father-of-one Wilson-Ward: “You probably thought, in a sense, this was free money that could be taken from a large company with no real harm.

“From almost the first moment you started working at the company you were stealing from it and abused the trust you were given to feed your greed. It was flagrant and sophisticated.”

He told Ward: “Your involvement was far less, but you joined in.”

The fraud was a blow to morale amongst the defendants former colleagues and Recorder Yeo added: “There was an abuse of personal trust.

“You sit next to someone, who you think is working for the company, but they are syphoning off money for themselves.”

Guest Denies Church Birthday Party Rape Of 12 Year-Old

A church birthday party guest shoved a 12 year-old attendee into bushes and twice raped her as she walked home through a dark park, a court heard.

Ghana-born Kofi Prempeh, 27 - nicknamed ‘Africa’ - ignored the girl’s pleas to stop and attempts to push him off, Croydon Crown Court was told.

Prempeh, of Wide Way, Mitcham has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape in the park near Leighton Street, West Croydon on August 4, 2018.

Prosecutor Nicola Merrick told the jury the girl, who had only turned twelve years-old the previous month, attended the party alone, with her family believing she would be safe amongst fellow-churchgoers they knew.

“That evening there was a birthday party and the congregation attended and the girl’s mother thought members of the church would keep an eye on her daughter.”

At 9pm the girl decided to start the short walk home. 

“She was outside the church when the defendant came out and spoke to her while holding a bottle of beer, which she thought was Guinness.

“She believes he tried to persuade her not to go home and as she walked through the park he was beside her.

“Mr Prempeh pushed her down into some bushes and pulled up her dress and touched her breasts and pulled her knickers down.

“She as shouting at him to leave her alone,” explained the prosecutor. “She was upset and tried to push him off.

“She was saying: ‘Stop, stop. There are people that can see you,’ but that did not seem to put him off.

“She was crying and he could see she was upset and told her to stop. She could not stop herself and he shouted: ‘No more crying.’

“The complainant phoned her mother and told her she as okay and the defendant was allowed at the family home that night.

“He kept telling the girl she was not to tell anyone what he had done to her and that it would be bad for her.

“The defendant told her: ‘If I find out you’ve said anything to anyone there will be trouble.’

“The girl confided in her cousin and three months later told her family what had happened.”

Prempeh was arrested and answered all questions “no comment” when interviewed.

Trial continues………………

Operation Citizen: £1.6m Suspected Fraudster Hunted

A specialist City of London Police fraud team are hunting this suspect after £1.6m was withdrawn from banks in Ipswich and Colchester.

The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) have released this image and are appealing for the public's assistance in identifying the individual.

The mystery person is suspected of committing fraud by illegally obtaining access to a victim’s bank card and using the card to make large cash withdrawals.

They are thought to have made these cash withdrawals at Colchester and Ipswich bank branches between March, 2020 and July, 2021.

Anyone with information should contact Detective Constable Gary Kearley of the DCPCU on 020 7709 6600 or by emailing dcpcu@dcpcu.pnn.police.uk, quoting Operation Citizen.

Seven Years For Pub Thug

Jailed: David Pattinson

A pub thug, who twice kicked another unconscious drinker in the head – causing a bleed on the victim's brain – when their brawl spilled into the street, has been jailed for seven years.

The male victim suffered a fractured skull; hearing loss; amnesia and took nearly two years off work to recover from his injuries.

David Pattinson, 45, put the boot in after knocking the other man out cold outside the pub in Moorgate, City of London on Monday, February 11, 2019.

At Inner London Crown Court Pattinson, of Duke Street, Luton, Bedfordshire was convicted by a jury of inflicting grievous bodily harm, with intent.

Detective Sergeant Ben Hurley, from the City of London Police, said: “This was a vicious and senseless attack; the victim sustained injuries that have had a huge impact on his life and he will now have to live with those forever.

“I hope that the sentence passed down today brings some closure to the victim, although no sentence will make up for how much these injuries have changed his life.”

CCTV footage from the pub showed Pattison entering at 8.32pm.

Pattison made his way to the bar before approaching a table, where the victim was sitting with another person. 

The CCTV footage showed Pattison, the victim and the other person talking around the table.

At 8.41pm after several minutes of conversation, the footage showed Pattison and the victim squaring up to each other. 

The pair began fighting in the pub before the fight spilled out onto the street.

Pattison headbutted, punched and kneed the victim in the face, causing the victim to fall to the floor unconscious. 

Pattison then kicked the victim in the head twice before the other person who was sat at the table intervened.

When interviewed, Pattison claimed that he didn’t know why he had been arrested and that he hadn’t done anything wrong.

The victim sustained a number of injuries, including retrograde amnesia meaning the victim has no recollection of the night or the attack.

Ex-Spurs Star Charged

Former Tottenham Hotspur star Chris Armstrong will appear in court tomorrow accused of assaulting a man at his local Tesco’s, where he is also alleged to have caused £2,000 in damage.

The 50 year-old ex-Premier League striker, who has also played for Millwall and Crystal Palace has been bailed to appear for the first time at Westminster Magistrates Court.

The six-foot tall Newcastle-upon-Tyne-born former centre forward hit sixty-two goals in all competitions for Spurs between 1995 and 2002, following his £4.5m transfer from the Eagles.

Armstrong, of Ifield Road, West Brompton is charged with assaulting Alex Boetang, causing him actual bodily harm, at the Fawcett Road store on July 18, last year.

He is also charged with causing criminal damage to the store’s security barriers on the same occasion.

During his career, which started and finished at Wrexham, Armstrong also scored a total of seven goals for Millwall and fifty-seven for Crystal Palace.

His promising career, which also saw him earn an England B call up, was disrupted by frequent groin injuries and ankle operations.

Office Burglar's Ten-Year City Of London Ban

A notorious Square Mile office burglar has been banned from the City of London for a decade after being caught targeting multiple businesses and organisations for computer equipment.

Neville Patrick Stanbury, 52, perfected the knack of following legitimate staff through secure doors and posing as an employee or associated agent or officer to justify his presence in the building.

City of London Police successfully applied for a ten-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) when Stanbury, of Old Kent Road, Southwark was sentenced for his latest offences.

He was arrested in October, last year for five burglaries, which cost five businesses almost £40,000 in damage and loss.

At Inner London Crown Court he received three years community supervision; 180 hours community service work and six months of drug rehab.

The terms of the CBO prohibit Stanbury from: Tailgating any person into any building to which he does not normally have access or authority.

Impersonating any employee, agent or officer of any company, charity, or public body where he is not an official, verifiable, employed member of staff or contractor.

Entering the area designated by the City of London which is identified by any road name with a City of London crest and EC1, EC2, EC3 and EC4 post codes.

Taking part in the disposal or sale of electronic tablet devices and or laptop computers; whether directly or indirectly.

Stanbury is also required to register any laptop, desktop computer, or tablet device in his possession and or ownership on www.immobolise.com, with the exception of any mobile phone, computer or tablet device registered to a verifiable company and/or organisation, used by him for work purposes, and/or in the course of his legitimate gainful employment.

Acting Detective Sergeant Kirsty Richardson of the City of London Police said: “We are pleased that His Honour Judge Ian Darling was able to approve the Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) recommended by the City of London Police, preventing Stanbury from targeting further premises in the Square Mile. 

“Stanbury is a prolific criminal, and his most recent offences, which included theft of electrical equipment from five premises across the City, cost local businesses almost forty thousand pounds in damages and replacement of property.

“Theft from large organisations is not a victimless crime. Businesses have been hit hard during the COVID-19 pandemic, and criminal activity such as this could be a breaking point for many. 

“We will actively seek to use CBOs to effectively protect the City and the people who live, work and visit here.”

Blinds Boss Jailed For Tax Offences

Woolwich Crown Court

A self-styled ‘Solar Shading Expert’, who sold blinds for a living, will be out of the sun for a while after being imprisoned for tax fraud.

Paul David Murphy, 55, was a company director with Kent’s ‘New Origin Blinds’.

At Woolwich Crown Court he was sentenced to eighteen months imprisonment.

Murphy, of Tarran Cottage, Hook Green Road, Southfleet can expect to be paroled after serving half of that time.

He initially appeared at Bromley Magistrates’ Court two-and-a-half years ago charged with three counts of fraud by false representation, namely submitting false self-assessment tax returns.

They related to the 2013-14; 2014-15 and 2015-16 tax years.

Murphy was also ordered to pay a £149 victim surcharge.

Heads Crutch: London Bridge Assault

Police have released an image of a suspected train station thug after a man was headbutted.

The British Transport Police (BTP) are appealing for the public's assistance in identifying the individual in the image.

At 10.04pm on Thursday December 16 last year, a man approached another man at London Bridge station and an altercation broke out. 

The man then headbutted the victim before walking away.

Officers believe the man in the CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 151 of 17/12/21.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Guilty: Zen Massage Boss Who Molested Female Client

A respected massage therapist was convicted yesterday of acting out a “pornographic fantasy” when he molested a young professional woman two decades his junior.

Masseur Graham Stannard, 47, repeatedly touched the “attractive” half-naked 25 year-old woman between her legs, claiming he was encouraged by her moans of pleasure.

However, the woman insists she did not consent and her involuntary moans were a response to Stannard massaging her painful sciatica - caused by an irritated nerve.

The Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court jury rejected his claim he honestly believed the woman was consenting and unanimously found him guilty of two counts of sexual assault. 

Stannard, of Fleetwood Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, was bailed until sentencing on March 28 and Judge John Lodge told him: “You have been found guilty of two very serious offences and custody is a very realistic option and you must prepare yourself for that.”

The trial heard Stannard, the boss of Healing Zen Massage and a practitioner of Zen-Su deep release massage had a therapy room in a beauty salon in Bedford Hill, Balham, south London.

After reading his positive online reviews the woman, who has a high-pressure desk job, booked an appointment to receive a massage on August 2, 2020.

The jury viewed her recorded police statement in which she said: “When I removed my mask he said: ‘Wow. You’ve got such a lovely smile,’ and I thought that was the first thing out of place.”

She stripped-down to her knickers and lied face-down on the massage table as Stannard began. “He said: ‘It’s really nice you are making those noises. I’d like to hear more of them’.

“They were just the normal noises of a massage,” she told the trial, explaining Stannard put his hand between her legs after massaging her hip area.

“He just went for it and touched me four times or something, quite hard under my knickers so it was not a mistake.

“I went completely quiet. I always thought in a situation like that I’d be shouty and tell him to: ‘F*** off,’ but I just completely froze.

“I started moving my bum and hips away, but it didn’t deter him and I thought: ‘What the f***?’

“I thought: ‘F***, he’s going to do it again,’ and this time he really went for it.

“He asked me to turn over. I was topless and he looked stoked, so happy with eyes wide open, buzzing.

“He said: ‘You’ve got such an amazing body,’ he was ecstatic and said he was going to do my front and I thought he would do something worse.”

She said Stannard hastily concluded the massage then tried to discuss it with her. “He was close to my face and from then it was just creepy.

“He returned after ten minutes and he was like: ‘God, that was amazing. Maybe I can take you out to dinner and do a massage after that.’

“He gave me a hug and was going to try and kiss me and I left and called my boyfriend and burst into tears and told him what happened.

“I was sitting on the kerb, breathing heavily, it was horrible. I walked around for twenty minutes dry heaving and had a bath when I got home because I had oil all over me and wanted to get it off.”

She then received a text from Stannard, which read: ‘Lovely to see you. Let me know about home massage.’

Earlier prosecutor Warwick Tatford told the jury: “This defendant has worked as a full-time masseur for over eleven years and has a proper business.

“No doubt his regular clients think good of him, but he gave into sexual temptation that day when he gave a massage to this twenty-five year-old lady, an attractive lady as you will see in the video.

“It was under her knickers so must have been deliberate and he seemed to be enjoying it and she did not consent to it.”

Stannard did not deny touching the woman between her legs when questioned by police. “His case is she either consented and was excited or if she didn’t consent he genuinely believed she was.”

The prosecutor rejected this, telling the jury: “He just fancied her and couldn’t resist sexually assaulting her.

“It was quite a forceful massage and she made noises when he hit a painful spot. She talks about moaning, but not with a sexual meaning.

“He started imitating what she was saying, like it was turning into some sort of pornographic fantasy.

“The defendant seems to have been caught up in the excitement of it all and acting out a sexual pleasure.

“He told the officers he was sexually aroused and had crossed the line. That’s quite close to admitting sexual assault and he says he got carried away in the moment and that it felt consensual.”

When cross-examined the woman was asked about the noises she made and said it was “wrong” to conclude she was “aroused” during the massage.

She was asked why she did not ask Stannard to stop, replying: “It happened so quickly, I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say.”

Additionally, the woman was questioned as to whether moving her bum and hips could be “misconstrued” as joining in with the sexual behaviour. 

Judge Lodge told the jury: “I am not going to sentence the defendant today. The prosecution will want to consider if they want to seek a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to prevent the defendant committing similar offences.

“I will also ask for a pre-sentence report from the Probation Service to cover issues such as the risk of re-offending.”

Suspected Speccy Sex Pest Hunted

Police are hunting a tube train sex pest, who molested a young teenage girl, when she tried to get away from him.

British Transport Police (BTP) have released this image of the male they are looking for and are appealing for the public's help in identifying him.

The complainant was travelling home on a Jubilee Line train at 7.15pm on September 18, last year when a male boarded at Wembley Park.

He sat opposite her and asked for her age. 

She told him she was 14 years-old and he started asking for her Snapchat username.

The complainant moved away from the man towards the carriage doors and was ready to get off the train when he followed her.

He said: “I want to chill with you,” and then sexually assaulting her.

The complainant disembarked the service at Neasden Underground station, leaving the male on the train.

Officers believe the man in this CCTV image may have information which could help their investigation.

If you recognise him, or have any information, please contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 633 of 18/09/21.

Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Masseur Accused Of Groping Female Client Between Her Legs

A respected massage therapist was acting out a “pornographic fantasy” while twice molesting a young professional woman, he claims was enjoying his intimate touching, a court heard.

Masseur Graham Stannard, 47, repeatedly touched the “attractive” half-naked 25 year-old between her legs, saying he was encouraged by her moans of pleasure.

However, the woman insists she did not consent and her involuntary moans were a response to Stannard massaging her painful sciatica - caused by an irritated nerve.

Stannard, of Fleetwood Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault at his therapy room in Bedford Hill, Balham on August 2, 2020.

The Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court jury viewed the woman’s police interview, in which she confirmed it was her first appointment with Stannard, a practitioner of Zen-Su deep release massage.

He is the boss of Healing Zen Massage and has a suite at the beauty salon she visited. “He was quite well-known in the therapy, massage world and had good reviews,” the woman explained.

“When I removed my mask he said: ‘Wow. You’ve got such a lovely smile,’ and I thought that was the first thing out of place.”

She stripped-down to her knickers and lied face-down on the massage table as Stannard began. “He said: ‘It’s really nice you are making those noises. I’d like to hear more of them’.

“They were just the normal noises of a massage,” she told the trial, explaining Stannard put his hand between her legs after massaging her hip area.

“He just went for it and touched me four times or something, quite hard under my knickers so it was not a mistake.

“I went completely quiet. I always thought in a situation like that I’d be shouty and tell him to: ‘F*** off,’ but I just completely froze.

“I started moving my bum and hips away, but it didn’t deter him and I thought: ‘What the f***?’

“I thought: ‘F***, he’s going to do it again,’ and this time he really went for it.

“He asked me to turn over. I was topless and he looked stoked, so happy with eyes wide open, buzzing.

“He said: ‘You’ve got such an amazing body,’ he was ecstatic and said he was going to do my front and I thought he would do something worse.”

She said Stannard hastily concluded the massage then tried to discuss it with her. “He was close to my face and from then it was just creepy.

“He returned after ten minutes and he was like: ‘God, that was amazing. Maybe I can take you out to dinner and do a massage after that.’

“He gave me a hug and was going to try and kiss me and I left and called my boyfriend and burst into tears and told him what happened.

“I was sitting on the kerb, breathing heavily, it was horrible. I walked around for twenty minutes dry heaving and had a bath when I got home because I had oil all over me and wanted to get it off.”

She then received a text from Stannard, which read: ‘Lovely to see you. Let me know about home massage.’

Earlier prosecutor Warwick Tatford told the jury: “This defendant has worked as a full-time masseur for over eleven years and has a proper business.

“No doubt his regular clients think good of him, but he gave into sexual temptation that day when he gave a massage to this twenty-five year-old lady, an attractive lady as you will see in the video.

“It was under her knickers so must have been deliberate and he seemed to be enjoying it and she did not consent to it.”

Stannard did not deny touching the woman between her legs when questioned by police. “His case is she either consented and was excited or if she didn’t consent he genuinely believed she was.”

The prosecutor rejected this, telling the jury: “He just fancied her and couldn’t resist sexually assaulting her.

“It was quite a forceful massage and she made noises when he hit a painful spot. She talks about moaning, but not with a sexual meaning.

“He started imitating what she was saying, like it was turning into some sort of pornographic fantasy.

“The defendant seems to have been caught up in the excitement of it all and acting out a sexual pleasure.

“He told the officers he was sexually aroused and had crossed the line. That’s quite close to admitting sexual assault and he says he got carried away in the moment and that it felt consensual.”

When cross-examined the woman, who has a high-pressure desk job, was asked about the noises she made and said it was “wrong” to conclude she was “aroused” during the massage.

She was asked why she did not ask Stannard to stop, replying: “It happened so quickly, I was in shock. I didn’t know what to say.”

Additionally, the woman was questioned as to whether moving her bum and hips could be “misconstrued” as joining in with the sexual behaviour. 

Trial continues…………….