Officer accused of sex assault while on crime awareness duty
A POLICEMAN sexually assaulted a woman after she told him “you like your tea as I like my men”, a court heard.
Sgt Ares Michaelides, 49, allegedly stroked the 22-year-old’s thigh while on duty delivering crime prevention kits to residents in Enfield, north London, in November 2016. He was arrested after the woman later complained.
In court, she claimed the officer asked if he could come in after explaining there had been burglaries locally.
Jurors at Southwark Crown Court heard Sgt Michaelides told her: “It’s not often I get gorgeous girls like you coming to the door.” Once inside, he asked for some tea and told his host he had no qualms with having it black.
Jennifer Dempster, the defending barrister, asked the woman: “Did you at any point say, ‘Oh, you like your tea as I like my men?’” She replied: “I thought I would put it out there that there was no attraction,” and denied flirting with Sgt Michaelides, who is white.
Sgt Michaelides said the woman divulged she had “just come out of a fiveyear relationship” and had added: “I’m looking to have a bit of fun.” Although she admitted making the comments she dismissed it as “just small talk” and denied his assertion that she told him to call the next day when her parents were out. She later dialled 999 to allege sexual assault, saying Sgt Michaelides described “normally dealing with weird old people”, before he added: “You’re turning me on.” She said: “I thought he was disgusting,” adding she felt “singled out” when the officer entered no other home on the street.
Sgt Michaelides, of Enfield, north London, denies a single count of sexual assault. The trial continues.