Police sergeant raped fellow officer, court told

The alleged offences all took place while Sgt Richard Heard was off-duty

A police sergeant accused of raping a female officer joked to his victim "it's not rape if you enjoy it at the end", a court heard.

Sgt Richard Heard, 44, of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape and three counts of voyeurism.

His alleged victim, a female police officer, has been giving evidence at Bournemouth Crown Court.

She told jurors Sgt Heard made the joke in September 2022, after he had raped her on two separate occasions.

In a recorded police interview from September 2023, she said the first happened in July 2022.

She said: "He undid my belt, it felt like tug of war, I said no and then I pulled up to pull my trousers up and he pushed me back down."

Jurors were told she eventually "just stopped fighting" and two days after the incident, she took photos of bruising on her arm.

The next reported rape happened in August, when she said he told her: "I like it when it hurts you."

"I just wish my phone was recording or something," she added.

During his opening statement, prosecutor Andrew Bird KC, told the court Sgt Heard had two children and a long-term partner and had been a serving police officer for more than 20 years.

He said the third alleged rape in September 2022, when the victim again asked Sgt Heard to stop and he replied: "I'll be quick."

Jurors heard the three charges of voyeurism relate to a number of images and videos Sgt Heard took of the complainant.

Sgt Heard is also standing trial for assault by beating and perverting the course of justice.

The offences all reportedly happened between January 2022 and August 2023 when he was off-duty.

Sgt Heard, who has been suspended, also faces a further count of malicious communication against a second victim in June 2023.

The trial continues.