Ben Lister: West Yorkshire Police officer on trial charged with rape

Sgt Ben Lister, of West Yorkshire Police, is accused of raping and sexually assaulting the woman in 2016

A police officer has gone on trial accused of raping a "very drunk" woman during a night out.

Ben Lister, a West Yorkshire Police sergeant, is alleged to have attacked her at a mutual friend's house in 2016 after they had been out drinking.

The judge warned jurors not to let publicity around the murder of Sarah Everard by Metropolitan Police officer Wayne Couzens "affect your judgment".

Sgt Lister, 36, denies one count of rape and one of assault by penetration.

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Richard Woolfall, opening the case for the prosecution at Bradford Crown Court, told the jury that Sgt Lister and the woman were staying at the same house following a night out in the city, during which they "consumed a large amount to drink".

He said: "It is the prosecution's case that this defendant went on to take advantage of that young lady, who was very drunk."

The court heard that Sgt Lister dragged the woman off a sofa while she was asleep before touching her sexually while she was drifting in and out of consciousness.

Mr Woolfall said the woman did not remember having sex with Lister, but recalled trying to push him away from her.

The trial is taking place at Bradford Crown Court

When she messaged him later to ask if they had sex, he lied and said they had not but they had engaged in some sexual activity, the court heard.

He later told police the woman was not so drunk that she did not know what was going on, was not asleep or unconscious and that everything that happened between them was consensual.

Mr Woolfall said: "The prosecution's case was that at no point did she consent to sexual contact with him, for the bulk of it she wasn't in any fit state to do so because of intoxication."

The jury was told that the woman had a child as a result of the alleged rape, with DNA tests later showing evidence he was the father, and she did not report the incident for about three-and-a-half years.

Judge Richard Mansell QC, the Recorder of Bradford, told the jury: "I am sure you all know there has been a very high profile case recently, tried in London, involving a serving police officer called Wayne Couzens, who abused his position as a police officer.

"There's no suggestion here that the defendant abused his position as a police officer in order to commit the offence, which he denies."

He added: "The allegation of rape occurred on a night out."

The trial continues.

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