Top policeman touched my breast – claim
DISCIPLINARY HEARING TOLD OF ALLEGATION
A top policeman allegedly put his hand inside a Northumbria Police employee’s blouse and touched her breast, a disciplinary hearing was told.
Chief inspector Mark Anastasi, of Northumbria Police, carried out the alleged attack in 2013.
The hearing at Fenham Barracks in Newcastle, heard Anastasi exchanged “explicit” text messages with the woman between October 2012 and March 2013.
The alleged victim said it was “just banter” but denied the pair were in a sexual relationship.
She said: “Mark would always instigate text messages of that nature. To be perfectly honest it was easier to go along with Mark.”
However, the victim said she put a stop to the messages telling Anastasi on three or four occasions to not contact her.
The hearing heard that three months later the victim said he stood behind her chair and sexually assaulted her while she was on the telephone.
Prosecutor Rosalind Scott Bell asked her: “Were you in shock by what happened?”
The woman, who was appearing via video link, replied: “Yes.”
The hearing heard Anastasi went and sat down before returning to assault her for a second time.
The victim said: “I put the telephone between my ear and shoulder and tried to move Mark’s arm with my hand.
“I tried to push his hand off my breast. He did take his hand away after a few seconds.”
The hearing heard Anastasi left the room but returned later that day to apologise.
The victim said she then received a text message from Anastasi offering another apology.
It read: “Apologies for before. Will be a good boy on my return. I forget you’re not allowed feelings.”
The force became aware of the alleged attacks after the victim told another employee, who said the matter had to be taken further.
Anastasi, who refused to attend the hearing, denies three allegations of inappropriate conduct including allegations of unwanted sexual touching.
The hearing continues.