On-duty GMP constable raped student in her home and then told her 'no-one will listen', trial hears

An on-duty GMP constable raped a young student in her home after she called the police when her former boyfriend threatened to share photos of her online, a court has heard.

The alleged victim, then aged 20, had asked the police for help after her then partner had threatened to put the scantily clad photos of her on the internet. Greater Manchester Police officer James Andrew Darnton, known as Andy, arrived at her home with a colleague and left his card and personal phone number with her, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

She later called him to find out what was happening and Darnton, who had smirked when he saw the photographs, returned, this time alone, a jury was told.

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In a recorded interview played to the court the woman, now aged 35, said he offered to get her a glass of water when she became upset and then followed her into the kitchen and utility room.

“I could feel his presence behind me and I was thinking this is not going to end with me getting a glass of water. He followed me into the utility room. I turned round and he was right there and he kissed me, really kissed me, quite intensely kissed me," she said.

“He grabbed my breasts and squeezed and then turned me around and lent me over the worktop where the washing machine was underneath."

The woman, who was planning a legal career, said she thought, "he must be doing it because he cares about me, it must be because he likes me."

“I don’t remember him saying anything to me, he was holding me down. I just went really quiet. I wasn’t making any sexual noises, I was just waiting for it to finish," she said.

She said Darnton then began talking about her complaint