Police party 'sex attack' victim was 'very drunk'

A police constable who was allegedly sexually assaulted by a police sergeant at a Christmas party was "very drunk", a court was told today.

Metropolitan Police Sergeant David Stevens, 37, of Highgate, north London, denies one count of the sexual assault of a male officer.

Giving evidence at St Albans Crown Court, another police officer who was also present at the party at the Edgwarebury Corus Hotel in Elstree, Hertfordshire, said: "(The alleged victim) was drunk. He was leaning on a sofa in the lobby.

"He appeared to be unsteady on his feet and didn't look very well." He was also pale and was slurring his words, she added.

She said: "He didn't appear to be able to focus his gaze. I would say he was very drunk."

Another officer who was at the party in December told the court he saw the alleged victim slumped on a sofa in the hotel lobby as the do was coming to an end.

He said: "He appeared drunk to me. I think I tried to say goodbye to him but he was unresponsive."

He said he received a phone call after he arrived home from two of his colleagues, who sounded distressed.

He said: "(My colleague) told me of something he'd just recently seen happen. He told me he'd seen David Stevens doing something to (the alleged victim)."

The second colleague he spoke to on the phone sounded as though she was in a similarly distressed state, he added.

He said: "She said 'He's done it, he's out of order, he's told me he's done it.' I took it to mean she was referring to David Stevens."