South Yorkshire Police officer denies sexually assaulting 18-year-old at pub

The woman claimed PC Paul Hinchcliffe pulled her top down and took a photograph without her consent, when they were drinking with three other people at a Wetherspoons pub called The Church House, in Wath-upon-Dearne, in October 2020.

But the 46-year-old officer, who is on trial at Leeds Crown Court this week after being charged with sexual assault, told the jury he “didn’t pull it down at any point”.

During cross examination, he said the woman pulled her top out in front of her and told the group she wanted a “boob job” because she had “a chest like a 12-year-old”.

He added: “She holds it out and allows me to place my fingers where hers were. The position of the top hasn’t changed at all.”

The officer, who is currently suspended, told the jury the woman did not respond when he took the photograph but was laughing with other members of the group and did not look uncomfortable.

Louise Reevell, prosecuting, said: “I’m going to suggest to you that this just isn’t true, that she hasn’t just held her top out and let you take a photograph of her cleavage.”

Hinchcliffe replied: “No, that’s exactly what she did.”

The officer also told the court he sent the photograph to a colleague, because he thought it was “funny”.

The alleged victim claimed she was discussing a boob job privately with another woman at the table, because she was self conscious about her chest, and she did not pull her top down at any point.

She also claimed that Hinchcliffe and another off-duty officer at the table touched her inappropriately when they were drinking together that evening.

But during cross examination, Hinchcliffe denied the allegation and said the other officer at the table “was a lot more touchy feely”.

Earlier in the trial, the woman also said Hinchcliffe had flicked beer foam at her and chest, shortly before the photograph was taken, and made grunting noises to simulate ejaculation.

But the officer said he flicked beer in her direction as a joke and it was not aimed at her chest.

“There may have been noises because everyone was insinuating that that's what it looked like. However, we were just making silly comments,” he said.

Hinchcliffe, who had a role training South Yorkshire Police officers at the time, denies one charge of sexual assault.

The trial continues.