A Merseyside Police sergeant claimed he was more embarrassed about a skin condition than masturbating in public while on duty.
David Gibson, 44, denies misconduct in a public office after allegedly forcing a prostitute to perform a sex act or face arrest in the early hours of November 6, 2014.
The former sex worker, aged 30, claimed she approached Gibson’s unmarked police vehicle on Shiel Road in Tuebrook, believing him to be a punter, and was asked what she would do for him to “be the nice man” and let her go.
Gibson, of Kirkman Fold, Rainhill, told a jury at Liverpool Crown Court that he was trying to obtain intelligence about drug dealers from the woman and denied any sexual contact.
He told the court samples of semen, found on the passenger side seat of the vehicle, were from him performing a sex act on himself in a “quiet back street” near Wavertree Technology Park around an hour before he met the woman.
Maria Masselis, prosecuting, asked “What drove you to masturbate?”
Gibson claimed he was suffering from the chronic skin condition psoriasis on the night of the incident.
He said: “My skin condition, one of the side effects is it can be very itchy, and I was itchy in my groin area and I rubbed it and became aroused, and, yes, I masturbated.”
But Ms Masselis questioned why he had not mentioned the skin condition in either of his police interviews after he was arrested on November 18, 2014.
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She said: “You understand the first time you have ever talked about this is during this trial?”
Gibson replied: “Yes.”
Ms Masselis said: “You had opportunities to give this account and discuss your skin condition in your first interview and your second interview.”
But Gibson claimed: “I was embarrassed, I would rather people think I had masturbated than know about my skin condition. I didn’t want to talk about it.”
Judge Clement Goldstone, QC, presiding over the trial asked: “So the position is that you were more embarrassed about your skin condition than masturbating in public in your police uniform?”
Gibson replied: “Yes.”
Ms Masselis also questioned Gibson over why he did not run any checks on the sex worker over police computers when she got into his vehicle.
Gibson claimed he did not want to “become involved in an arrest” as he was expected to be free to supervise his officers and perform his duties as a sergeant.
Ms Masselis said: “She could have been wanted for murder for all you knew? And you didn’t think you were doing anything wrong by not checking her out?”
Gibson said he did not.
Merseyside Police sergeant David Gibson, who allegedly engaged in a sexual act with a prostitute while on duty, leaves Liverpool Crown Court on the first day of his trial.
The defendant was asked whether he thought the complainant had a reason to make up the allegations against him.
Gibson said: “At the time no, but now, having heard about her abusive ex-partner, I can now understand why she needed an excuse to go home with no money and no drugs.”
After Ms Masselis finished her cross-examination, Judge Goldstone asked: “Suppose she wanted to give you information, because she felt you had treated her fairly and you built up a rapport, how would she have been able to do so given that she didn’t know your name and you didn’t know hers?”
Gibson replied: “She would have known by collar number, it is quite easy to remember and she remembered some letters of the registration plate. She could have rung up, and if I had seen her on the street she could have stopped me.”
(Proceeding)
Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/