Lifeguard abused pupil at leisure centre, court told

Reporter A LIFEGUARD repeatedly sexually abused a school pupil in a dark storeroom at a leisure centre and at an outdoor swimming pool, a court heard.

Brian Court denies five counts of indecently assaulting the girl at Barry Leisure Centre and The Knap in the early 1990s and he is on trial at Newport Crown Court.

The alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the police: “He kissed me and it was quite forceful. I just remember being shocked.”

Heath Edwards, prosecuting, said the charges relate to the period between January and June 1992 when the complainant was a teenager at secondary school.

He added: “The prosecution say, in simple terms, that the defendant fostered an inappropriate relationship with a [...] girl. He took advantage of her and indecently assaulted her.”

Prosecutors said Court started to pay the girl “special attention” when she was using the slides at the leisure centre.

Mr Edwards told the court: “He would say flattering things to her, like: ‘You’ve got lovely hair.’ Or: ‘I like those bathers on you.’”

When she spoke to the police, the complainant – who is now in her 40s – said the defendant told her to pull her swimming costume strap down.

She added: “I would do those things because he would smile at me and make me feel special.”

Mr Edwards said the alleged victim was “flattered” by the attention, adding: “His remarks became more overtly flirtatious.”

The court heard the defendant told the girl he would only let her go down the slide if she pulled her swimming costume up to show her bottom.

Mr Edwards added: “Revealing herself, the prosecution say, to the defendant for his sexual pleasure.”

The woman said she started to go to the leisure centre more often, at least twice a week.

She told the police she was wearing her school uniform when she took her homework to the centre’s cafe and met the defendant.

Prosecutors say Court, who was 32 at the time, must have known she was under 16.

The complainant stated she told him her age and he said: “We can’t let anyone see us until you’re 16.”

She said the defendant told her she should roll up her school skirt to make it shorter and suggested she should start wearing a bikini.

Mr Edwards said: “The relationship turned from inappropriate flirting to sexual contact.”

The court heard the first incident happened in a storeroom at the leisure centre as the defendant was tidying up after a children’s soft play session.

She told the police: “He kissed me and it was quite forceful. I don’t remember kissing him back. I just remember being shocked because I Brian Court, who denies five counts of indecent assault, is on trial at Newport Crown Court was not expecting it. He started kissing me and then he had his hands down my knickers.”

The court heard on another occasion, the defendant asked her to meet him in the storeroom and told her not to wear underwear.

She said: “I remember shaking and I felt like I wanted to scream, but thought if I got him into trouble, he would never be nice to me ever again.”

Prosecutors said the other incidents happened at the lifeguard station at The Knap.

The court heard the relationship ended in May 1992 when the girl saw his passport and realised his real age, after believing he was 24.

Mr Edwards told the jury the girl could not consent to sexual activity because she was under 16.

The complainant went to the police in May last year and had her recorded interview on September 7, 2017.

When Court was interviewed by the police, he stated it was difficult to remember details from so long ago.

He accepted he had been a lifeguard and stated he thought he recognised the complainant, but denied having any sexual contact with her.

Court, 57, from Vale Street in Barry, who is represented by Kevin Seal, denies five counts of indecent assault.

The case, presided over by Recorder Catherine Richards, is before a jury of four men and eight women and is expected to last for about a week.