THE jury has retired to consider its verdicts in the trial of a Gwent Police officer accused of child sex abuse.
John Stringer, aged 42, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault, two of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and one of causing a child to watch a sexual act.
The defendant, who has been a serving officer for 14 years with a “good record”, denies any wrongdoing.
The prosecution claims Stringer showed the complainant a pornographic video of a woman masturbating before encouraging her to mimic the performer.
He is also alleged to have touched the underage girl sexually.
Stringer was asked by his barrister James Tucker about his reaction when he was arrested in 2021.
“I felt devastated – it was just such a shock,” he replied.
When Stringer was cross-examined by prosecutor Ian Wright, he told him of the allegations against him: “It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Jurors were told that the defendant had viewed adult pornography on his mobile phone but had deleted his internet history.
Stringer denied having a particular interest in watching “females masturbating”.
About the alleged victim, Mr Wright told him: “You repeatedly touched her sexually.”
The defendant answered that he hadn’t.
“You showed her a phonographic video and you caused or incited her to mimic what that female was doing in the video,” the prosecutor asserted.
Stringer, from Fairwater, Cardiff denied this.
Earlier in the trial, the jury shown a recording of the girl’s police interview.
She told detectives that Stringer had played her a sex video after searching for it on his phone.
The alleged victim said: “He showed me a video of a girl with nothing on her legs.
“She was rubbing it down there and making weird noises. She had no trousers or pants on.
“He asked me to do it and he told me not to tell anyone or he would get into a lot of trouble.”
The prosecution alleges he did so in Cardiff between December 2019 and July 2021.
Stringer was arrested after the girl spoke to teaching staff at her school.
The jury at Cardiff Crown Court retired to consider its verdicts at 12.04pm on Friday, September 6.
They are due to continue their deliberations on Monday, September 9.
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