Former Plymouth boss Charles Howeson 'groped' worker, court hears

Bristol Crown Court heard the alleged victim say Mr Howeson's advances were "like a sexual come on"

A man was "groped" several times by his former boss on a boat trip in the 1990s, a court has heard.

Charles Howeson, a former senior naval officer and businessman, touched him in a "sexual" way without consent on the trip, Bristol Crown Court heard.

Mr Howeson was executive director at Groundwork Trust Plymouth at the time.

The 67-year-old, of Stonehouse, Plymouth, denies 11 counts of indecent assault and one other serious sexual offence against nine boys and men.

More on the Howeson trial, and other news from across Devon and Cornwall.

Earlier in the trial, Mr Howeson was accused of groping young crewmen while serving onboard HMS Cleopatra in 1985.

The court heard the two men were on a trip overseen by the trust to the former military outpost of Drake's Island in Plymouth

The man told the court Mr Howeson rubbed his leg and private parts on two separate occasions during the trip to Drake's Island.

He said the first was while he was trying to steer the boat across from Plymouth, telling the jury: "He put his hand on my shoulder and his hand onto my leg and started rubbing my thigh.

"I felt very intimidated and that it wasn't right what he was doing. It was like a sexual come on."

The other alleged offence took place in dark tunnels on the island, where they went without a torch.

The man said he was lifted onto Mr Howeson's shoulders on the pretext of finding cables and switches on the roof and was groped.

'Very scared'

"It was outside of my clothes - more groping than touching," he said, adding "I was very scared".

Neither incident was reported at the time, the alleged victim told the court, because he felt "intimidated" by Mr Howeson's status.

"At the time when you're younger you haven't got so much confidence", he said.

The trial continues.