A businesswoman who claims she was raped by a Hampshire police officer after they met on the Bumble dating app has told a court “he would not take no for an answer”.

Police Constable David Longden-Thurgood is on trial at Winchester Crown Court accused of raping the woman, a mother aged in her 30s, at her home in Hampshire in October 2020.

The trial heard that the pair arranged to meet up after they exchanged a series of messages on Whatsapp.

In one message, the complainant asked “want to come spoon me?” before adding that the defendant “would make an incredible big spoon”.

But she added in a further message: “I wouldn’t want any funny business though.”

The court heard that the pair went on to discuss their sexual preferences and sent photos to each other partially naked.

Daily Echo: Police Constable David Longden-Thurgood outside Winchester Crown Court. Picture by Solent News and Photo AgencyPolice Constable David Longden-Thurgood outside Winchester Crown Court. Picture by Solent News and Photo Agency

The complainant told the court: “We had a good conversation and I liked the tone of the conversation so I saw some potential.”

The court heard that the defendant sent her a message saying: “It’s good to know that you have a good sex drive like me.”

She replied: “But that’s not what I am all about, you do see that don’t you?”

The complainant told the court: “I went on to Bumble to look for a relationship, not just someone to have sex with.

“There was a large degree of sexual content in those messages, I think that was me looking for reassurance that this was not just what this was going to be.”

The court heard that Longden-Thurgood visited the complainant at her home and the pair sat on her “cuddle sofa”.

The complainant said they chatted and they started kissing before they began to watch a Netflix TV series called Outcry.

After carrying on kissing, she told the defendant: “I am not having sex with you tonight.”

The complainant said she then suggested they go upstairs to “spoon” and she led the way to her bedroom but she told him “no funny business” to which he laughed and said “OK”.

She said that they cuddled in bed and the kissing became “passionate” before the alleged rape.

She added: “I had already told him before we were not having sex, I definitely said it in the bedroom.

“He didn’t take no for an answer and at this point I was concerned about my children.

“Not harm to my children but it could be what they would be subjected to witness as I didn’t know what he would have done if I had forced him to get off me.”

She said that he told her: “I can’t stop, it feels so good.”

Longden-Thurgood, 48, of The Coppice, Waterlooville, who serves with Hampshire Constabulary, denies rape and the trial continues.

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