Police officer told woman 'I know the law' before alleged sexual assault - court

A police officer accused of sexually assaulting another woman told her, "I know the law", before the alleged incident, a court has heard.

Fiona Anderson, 33, from Exeter, denies two counts of sexual assault alleged to have happened in 2018 while she was visiting Cardiff.

On Monday, Bristol Crown Court heard Anderson got into bed with her alleged victim after the pair had been drinking together and performed oral sex on her without consent.

Anderson, a police constable with Devon and Cornwall Police, persisted after the woman said, "I don't want to have sex with you, you're too drunk", the jury heard.

Emma Martin, prosecuting, said Anderson and the complainant had spent the evening together in Cardiff.

After the complainant had gone to bed, Anderson entered the bedroom "disgustingly drunk" and tried to initiate a sexual encounter between them, the court heard.

"It was clear to Fiona, it was abundantly clear that [the complainant] did not want sexual contact with her," Martin said.

"Fiona, that night, drunkenly sexually assaulted [the woman]."

Despite the woman saying she did not want to have sex, Anderson proceeded to kiss and bite her, the court heard.

Martin said that Anderson became "rougher" with the complainant and pulled her underwear off.

"At this point, [the complainant] says that Fiona said the words to her, 'I need you to say yes, I know the law, I need you to say yes'."

The court heard the woman was "not reciprocating" Anderson's advances, and did not consent to oral sex Anderson performed on her.

Anderson "desisted" when the woman did not say yes and left the bedroom, at which point the complainant heard her vomiting in the bathroom.

The court heard Anderson's memory of the evening was "a bit fuzzy" but that she denies any non-consensual sexual activity with the woman.

Anderson has been suspended from duty since her arrest in March 2023.

Martin said the woman initially "felt she couldn't complain" to police about Anderson due to her being a serving police officer and reported the incident several years later.

The trial continues.