Ex-police officer ‘had sex with girl 20 to 30 times’
PROSECUTORS SAY HE TOOK ADVANTAGE OF AND GROOMED UNDER-AGE VICTIM
A RETIRED Humberside Police officer had sex with an under-age schoolgirl “20 to 30 times” during two years of abuse, a court heard.
When the complainant told Bryan Calam to stop, he “begged for one more time and said he might have to go to a prostitute”, Hull Crown Court heard.
Mr Calam, 71, of Wood View, Swanland, “groomed” and “took advantage” of the complainant during the early 2000s, prosecutors say. He is on trial and denies five offences of indecent assault and three of indecency with a child.
Opening the case against him yesterday, prosecutor Claire Holmes told a jury of seven women and five men that although Mr Calam repeatedly having sex with the girl was part of the Crown’s case, no charges relate to that part of his alleged activity “for reasons of law”.
She said: “There isn’t a count related to the sexual intercourse that took place between this defendant and [the complainant] because for reasons of law it can no longer be put on the indictment. The Crown says that happened, but there is not a count to reflect it.
“It’s part of the background of their relationship; important knowledge for you to have in order to understand the context of their relationship as a whole.”
Among the allegations are that Mr Calam:
Had the girl perform a sex act on him while he was driving on a motorway;
Performed sex acts on her;
Had sex with her in a garden, in a caravan, and before he played golf;
Touched her under and over her clothing.
The alleged abuse is said to have taken place during a “difficult” time in the girl’s life and while Mr Calam was married. He is said to have paid her compliments in the build-up to the alleged abuse, and their relationship became “like an obsession” to her.
The complainant later said in police interview: “He’d put his arm round me. I thought ‘This guy really likes me.’ It was me falling for his games again.”
Miss Holmes said Mr Calam would “use any excuse to get her alone to abuse her”, but she began to feel it “wasn’t right” and eventually told him to stop.
The prosecutor said: “She told him she didn’t want to do this any more. His reaction? He begged her for one more time and said he might have to go to a prostitute because he and [his wife] didn’t have sex any more.”
Mr Calam was twice confronted about the allegations after the girl “found the courage” to report the alleged abuse, the court heard.
Miss Holmes said the complainant and a relative decided to confront him, and “The Crown say his reaction was telling. He didn’t deny it; in fact he said ‘I’m sorry,’ and the Crown say he was admitting something had happened”.
Miss Holmes said on another occasion, a man went to meet Mr Calam at the Humber Bridge and put the allegations to him. Mr Calam is said to have replied: “Come on [name]. What about me?”
Mr Calam made no comment in police interview but read a statement denying the allegations and said the complainant was “lying”, the court heard.
Recalling occasions when they had allegedly kissed, the complainant told police: “I remember thinking it was c**p because at this point I had kissed boys myself. He made me feel sick. He always used to lick my ear.
“It annoys me because I’d fallen for his games.”
The trial continues.