West Midlands PC sex comments were 'to build rapport'

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-47808047

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A police officer has told a court sexual comments made to a victim of domestic abuse were "rapport building" aimed at helping his inquiries.

PC Colin Noble told jurors he feared the woman would be fobbed off by "lazy" colleagues from West Midlands Police.

Birmingham Crown Court has heard he "sexually groomed" the woman, leaving her feeling "horrible and intimidated".

Mr Noble, 47, denies misconduct in a public office.

Giving evidence, Mr Noble said: "I was trying to emphasise that even though she had been through an abusive relationship, that wasn't the end of the world."

Jurors were told Mr Noble was assigned to investigate a complaint the woman's abusive ex-partner had breached a restraining order.

The woman had made recordings of the conversation because she feared nobody would believe her, the court heard.

But Mr Noble said they were "highlights" of a longer conversation and because of missing parts "seem a lot worse than what they really are".

The court heard he told the woman he was "not in nightclub chat-up mode" and was prepared to "go a bit extra" to help her out.

During cross-examination, Mr Noble admitted he said "unbutton it", but said it was referring to a toy doll the woman's daughter was playing with.

Asked why he had told the woman "we could be good together" during the visit to her Birmingham flat in 2017, he said it "goes back to urban talk" and when he said "we" it did not mean "me and her".

He said "at no time" had he considered forming a relationship with the woman.

The trial continues.

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