Woman tells St Albans rape trial how police partner 'scared' her

BBC News

09-07-2025

A woman has told a a rape trial how she was "scared" when in a relationship with a Metropolitan policeman.The woman has accused Jake Cummings, now 26, of rape and told jurors at St Albans Crown Court that he would "lock me in rooms".Cummings, who lived in Lytton Way in Stevenage, has also been accused of rape by another woman he had a relationship with.He denies both charges and says sex was consensual.
'Stalking'
A prosecuting barrister has told jurors the defendant had already been convicted of controlling and coercive behaviour and stalking.James Thacker KC said those offences were committed during Cummings' relationships with the two women, who the law says cannot be named.He said the women had also complained of being raped when Cummings was a police officer in London.
One woman has complained that Cummings raped her in 2024, shortly after she ended their relationship.The woman says it happened after she helped him move belongings to a new home.On Wednesday, she told jurors "at some point" during the encounter she had said "OK" because she did not want to anger the defendant.The woman also told jurors she had said "no" to "sexual contact" more than four times."I didn't want to have an argument or make him angry, so I said 'OK, no strings attached' while I was there, because I didn't want to upset him," she said."Throughout our relationship, if you say no to something, he tends to get angry."She added: "He would lock me in rooms, lock doorways... he would shout in my face."He scared me... if I said no, what he would do."
'Special Constable'
Mr Thacker gave details of allegations made by the two women when opening the case on Monday.He said the second woman had alleged that Cummings raped her in 2021.The two women lived in different parts of Britain and did not know each other, Mr Thacker told the trial.He said Cummings had told police investigating the women's allegations that sex had been consensual.Jurors have heard Cummings had also lived in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, and been a special constable in Dorset before joining the Metropolitan Police.They have been told that he was arrested at his mother's home in Weymouth, Dorset.The trial continues.
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