Officer accused of rape says women 'didn't say no'

An artist's impression of Jake Cummings in court during a trial in 2024

A man accused of raping two women while he was a Metropolitan Police officer told detectives that neither woman said "no", a jury heard.

Jake Cummings, 26, who lived in Lytton Way, Stevenage, is on trial at St Albans Crown Court after being accused of raping two women he had relationships with.

One woman said Cummings raped her in 2024, shortly after she ended their relationship, and the other said he raped her in 2021, when they were together.

Jurors heard on Thursday how Cummings, who denies rape, told police that one woman had not "told me to stop" and the other had never said "no" to sex.

Jake Cummings has been accused of raping two women when he was a Metropolitan Police officer

A prosecuting barrister told jurors Cummings had already been convicted of controlling and coercive behaviour and stalking.

James Thacker KC said Cummings had either pleaded guilty or been found guilty of those offences after a trial in September. However, jurors had not been able to reach verdicts on the rape charges - and a second trial was being staged, he added.

He said the two women lived in different parts of Britain, did not know each other, and had relationships with Cummings at different times.

'Servicing'

Some of Cummings' answers to police questions, following his arrest in 2024, were read to jurors by a prosecuting lawyer on Thursday.

He told officers that one of the women wanted "sex with no strings attached" and had "rated" the encounter.

"She didn't tell me to stop," he said when questioned.

"She didn't say no at any point."

He added: "She wanted it and then afterwards she made it very clear that she enjoyed it."

Cummings told police how he felt at that point that he was "used for sex".

He said: "She said she thoroughly enjoyed it, she needed servicing, and I was there and did the job."

Jake Cummings, 26, is on trial at St Albans Crown Court

Cummings told police he could not specifically recall the 2021 encounter that the second woman had complained about.

But he told police: "It was always consensual."

He added: "Ninety per cent of the sex we had (she) started, initiated.

"There has never been a time when she has said 'no' to having sex.

"If she said 'no', then nothing would happen."

The trial continues. Jurors were expected to be asked to consider their verdicts next week.