Brecon,South Wales - A police officer is accused of sexually assaulting another officer in front of his colleagues

PC Jeremy Fowler denies the alleged offence and is on trial at Swansea Crown Court

A policeman sexually assaulted another officer in front of his colleagues, a court has heard.

Pc Jeremy Fowler, 40, is accused of putting his hand inside the other officer’s trousers and assaulting him.

The alleged assault happened in 2014 where officers were known to take part in “rugby club style banter”.

The court heard on Monday how the officer was teased about his casual clothes.

Prosecutor Ian Wright said: “The victim became aware of another officer becoming involved by falling on his knees and shins.

“He felt his belt being unbuckled, then the buttons on his jeans being undone."

Mr Wright added: “He felt shame and humiliation in front of other officers.”

Swansea Crown Court heard the officer was unaware which of the officers had sexually assaulted him.

Mr Wright said: “But he saw Pc Fowler holding his fingers up in the air and saying: ‘Sniff that, he’s a dirty b******.’

“To add to his degradation Fowler was putting his fingers under the noses of other officers saying: ‘Smell them’.”

The court heard the officer kept quiet about the alleged assault for 18 months for fear of being ostracised and he didn’t want Fowler to lose his job.

But he confided in a female colleague and an investigation was launched by senior police officers.

Fowler admitted taking part in banter but claims he only ruffled the man’s hair.

He told senior officers the incident was a “laugh and a bit of fun”.

Mr Wright told the jury: "The penetration was sexual and the man did not consent to it.”

The alleged victim said he thought he was going to have his trousers pulled down as if by school bullies.

He told police: “The top buttons of my jeans were unpopped.

“People saw what was happening to me but no one assisted, no one said anything.

“I was thinking: ‘How can I be laying here with someone on top of me?’”

The officer described Pc Fowler as a “lovely boy with a strong character who acts the fool”.

In a taped police interview played to the jury he said there was an “awkwardness” between them after the alleged incident.

He said: “It was childishness, a “we are the daddy” sort of thing and going over the top.”

The officer told his wife what happened the next day but didn’t report it to senior officers.

He told police: “I didn’t want to make a fuss, I didn’t want police officers to lose their jobs.

“What if I put a complaint in and nothing was done? I would have been ostracised, which is what happened anyway.”

Fowler of Bwlch, Brecon, Powys, denies assault by penetration and the trial continues.

Words by Tom Bedford

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/police-officer-accused-sexually-assaulting-12630507