Police officer denies hotel room sex attack

PC Daniel Julian is accused of trying to rape a woman in 2021

A police officer barged into a woman's hotel room wearing a towel and tried to rape her, a trial at Lewes Crown Court has heard.

Sussex PC Daniel Julian, 46, from Pulborough, denies sexual assault, sexual activity without consent and trying to rape another police officer.

Jurors heard the woman secretly recorded part of the alleged attack, because she saw her phone under the bed and feared she was going to be raped.

The court heard Mr Julian pinned her against the wall and tried to kiss her before getting on top of her and trying to pull down her jogging bottoms, on 17 August 2021 in Kent.

The woman recalled the ordeal in a video interview shown to jurors.

In the interview, she said she was scared and kept saying "no", but said he "didn't listen".

She described how she thought he was going to rape her and no-one would believe her, but if she had a video someone would believe her, adding: "I just pressed randomly where I thought the record button was and just left it.”

Jurors heard she hit her head and back during the attack.

Prosecutor Julie Whitby said: "At times she was laughing because she didn’t know what else to do, it was her way of coping.

"She managed to push him off, she kicked his towel after him.”

She added: “She didn’t consent to his actions. (She was) saying ‘no’, ‘get off’, ‘stop’ – he would have known she wasn’t consenting to his behaviour.”

The prosecution said bruises appeared on the woman’s body after the incident caused by his grabbing and gripping.

Previously, Sussex Police said Mr Julian was suspended from duty after he was charged over the incident in April 2023.

The trial continues.