PCSO accused of sex assaults says incidents 'did not happen'

BBC News

30-01-2025

A PCSO accused of sexual assault has denied sending text messages to an alleged victim, a court has heard.Paul Simpkins, who has served with West Yorkshire Police for 16 years, is on trial at Bradford Crown Court.The 43-year-old, of Martin Wood Bank, Almondbury, Huddersfield, has been charged with touching a colleague in a taxi and in a bar on separate occasions, and of touching another man he worked with in a hotel room.He denies all charges and said the first complainant had also touched him while the other two incidents did not happen.
Opening Mr Simpkins' defence, his counsel John Batchelor questioned the first complainant about the incidents.The man alleged that Mr Simpkins touched his leg in a taxi on the way home from a work night out on 3 February 2022.Mr Batchelor said the complainant insisted Mr Simpkins and a female colleague got in the cab with him, but the complainant claimed that Mr Simpkins forced his way into the taxi.The defence solicitor added that while the woman was asleep in the car "there was some touching between you and Paul".The complainant denied this, saying it was just Mr Simpkins who had touched him, which was followed by a text message from the defendant saying he made him "horny".Mr Batchelor told the court that that text messages could not be found on his phone - and the complainant said he had deleted them."They were never sent," Mr Batchelor said."They were fabricated to improve your position."The complainant denied he made up the texts.
Regarding the second allegation at Maverick's bar in Huddersfield on 8 February 2022, Mr Simpkins said it did not happen. The same complainant alleged Mr Simpkins repeatedly touched his leg under the table on a night out - but the defendant denies this.CCTV from the bar was inadvertently deleted and could not be used to see what had happened.Mr Batchelor also asked the complainant whether he had been questioning his own sexuality, to which the complainant had admitted but insisted he had not engaged in any touching with Mr Simpkins.The third allegation regards a second complainant, who was staying in a hotel after the night out in Maverick's."Paul was intoxicated," he told a jury about that night."Paul was unable to go home and I thought it was best for him to go with me [back to the hotel]."He said he set up the sofa bed for Mr Simpkins, while he got into the double bed wearing his boxer shorts.It was then that the complainant alleges Mr Simpkins got into bed with him and touched his stomach and his nipple.Mr Simpkins also denies this took place.The trial continues.Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.