Ex-police watchdog chief denies sex claims timescale

Michael Lockwood, 65, of Epsom, Surrey, faces 17 charges

The former head of the police watchdog has denied getting his dates wrong over allegations he molested a 14-year-old girl in a toilet while working as a lifeguard.

Michael Lockwood, 65, of Epsom, Surrey, denies 17 charges for three rapes and 14 indecent assaults which relate to two 14-year-old girls 40 years ago.

At the time, he was in his 20s and worked part-time at a leisure centre near Hull, where he allegedly met and sexually abused the girls.

One of the alleged victims has claimed Lockwood indecently assaulted her in a male toilet cubicle repeatedly before moving to a storeroom at the leisure centre.

Jurors have heard it became "common knowledge" that the pair would go into the toilet among fellow lifeguards.

Lockwood has admitted having a romantic relationship with her, but claimed it did not begin until later, after she was aged 16.

On Tuesday, prosecutor Jonathan Polnay KC challenged his version of events and suggested Lockwood got his dates wrong.

'Dates were wrong'

Cross-examining, Mr Polnay said: "The period with which she was 16 and you were working as a lifeguard at the leisure centre is a maximum of five weeks, do you agree?"

Lockwood replied that he continued to use the leisure centre when he came back to Hull on weekends, after he moved to Liverpool.

Mr Polnay said: "If you are being really honest with this jury when you have got those dates put together do you think, actually, you might be wrong?"

Lockwood said: "No, her dates were wrong."

Mr Polnay said: "I am going to suggest the sexual activity described with you at the pool could not possibly have happened in that timescale."

The defendant disagreed.

Jurors have heard that after allegations against him first emerged, Lockwood resigned from his job as director general of the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Lockwood has pleaded not guilty to eight indecent assaults relating to the woman on dates between August 1979 and August 1981.

The defendant denies three counts of rape and six counts of indecent assault relating to the other complainant between October 1985 and March 1986.

The trial continues.