Glen Coleman,57,was a detective with the police force’s sex crimes squad when he allegedly committed the offences against the 19-year-old in early 2022,Penrith District Court has heard.
Former NSW Police Sex Crimes Squad detective Glen Coleman leaves Penrith Court on the first day of his rape trial.James Brickwood
The woman began her evidence late on Monday – the first day of Coleman’s two-to-three-week trial – saying she met the officer when she went to a police station on February 16,2022,to complain about her cousin who had threatened to post naked photos of her online.
During earlier opening remarks,Crown prosecutor Kate Nightingale told the jury they would hear evidence the woman again met Coleman at the same police station twice in March,when they discussed her original complaint,as well as a new complaint regarding her ex-boyfriend.
On March 29,Coleman is alleged to have asked intimate questions about the woman’s ex-boyfriend and was seen by the woman to have an erection,which he himself commented on.
The court heard Coleman asked the woman what she was doing that weekend,and she told him she had a trial for a dancing job at a strip club.
Nightingale said the Crown will argue that after that meeting,Coleman began asking the woman for sex and sexual favours.
Coleman allegedly raped the then-teenager after she reported an allegation regarding threats of naked photos to police.James Brickwood
“You will hear she told him he was a police officer,and they needed to keep it professional,” Nightingale said.
Nightingale told the jury they would hear Coleman messaged the teenager several days later regarding finishing her statement about her ex-boyfriend and offered to buy her a coffee.
“He told her it was too noisy at the station and people wouldn’t want to hear what he had to say,” Nightingale said,adding they agreed to meet at a park.
Nightingale said it was the Crown’s case Coleman sat on the park bench,gave the teenager a piece of paper and asked her to draw diagrams relating to her complaint. As it began to rain,Coleman suggested they sit in his police car.
There,it is alleged Coleman asked her about stripping and offered her money to have sex with him.
Nightingale said the jury will hear the woman said words to the effect of “Aren’t you married?” and that he replied:“It doesn’t mean I love my wife any less”.
The court heard Coleman told her to think about his proposition and suggested she dance for him naked.
Former NSW Police detective Glen Coleman allegedly raped a woman whose complaint to the sex crimes squad he was tasked with investigating.Nine News
Nightingale said the Crown will allege Coleman proceeded to sexually touch the teenager without consent in his car and repeated this act a week later after she called him and suggested they meet again at the park because she wants him to “look into” her ex-boyfriend.
During the second meeting in his car,the prosecution submits Coleman deleted messages on her phone,as well as offered to pay for sex,which she refused.
“You’ll hear the accused told her it may take him some time to get money to have sex with her because he had a joint account with his wife,” Nightingale told the jury.
“She thought she had to ask the accused permission to leave because he was a police officer … Eventually,she got out of the car and left.”
The court heard Coleman arranged for one more meeting at the police station on May 4,where he asked her to sign a document.
“You’ll hear that after she signed it,the accused asked her if she still wanted to have sex with him for money,and she replied she was thinking about it,” Nightingale told the court,adding Coleman offered her $600 before standing up,taking $70 out of his wallet and placing it on the desk.
Nightingale said the woman tried to make excuses,but Coleman continued to beg for sex.
The court heard the woman “asked if she could go after this happened,” and they proceeded to have sex “without her free and voluntary consent”.
Coleman is also accused of sending explicit photos of himself and asked for the teenager to send him the same before the alleged rape.
In his brief opening remarks,defence barrister Joel Brook said his client denies “he ever sexually touched or had sexual intercourse with the complainant without her free or willful consent”.
He said Coleman did not deny offering money for sex but that the nature and circumstances of their relationship would be up to the jury’s interpretation.
Brook said Coleman also denied misconduct in public office,accepting he had a position of public office,but it was the Crown’s responsibility to prove all elements of the offence.
Coleman earlier pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual intercourse without consent,six counts of sexually touching another person without consent and one count of misconduct by a holder of public office.
He sat in the dock in a pinstriped black suit,navy collared shirt and spotted navy tie.
The trial before Judge Robert Montgomery continues.
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