Chief inspector took sexual advantage of vulnerable junior officer, court told

A police chief inspector had sex with a vulnerable junior officer in her home and allegedly filmed it as he took advantage of her sexually, a court has heard.

David Rolls, 46, is accused of misconduct in public office by forming a sexual relationship with a Sussex Police colleague, who was struggling with her mental health, between 2016 and 2018.

At Lewes Crown Court on Monday, prosecutor Alisdair Smith said someone in his position should have, or would have, realised that having sex with someone who was vulnerable was an “improper thing to do”.

Jurors heard that the pair exchanged flirty and intimate messages and pictures, and on one occasion Rolls asked for a hug while he was aroused, and asked the woman to give him oral sex, which she did.

Asked why she did this, the officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she did it to “please him”, the prosecution said.

Opening the case, Mr Smith said: “This is a good example of the way in which David William Rolls was taking advantage of his position to get that sexual advantage from her.

“He succeeded in … involving her sexually with him.”

The court heard that, on another visit to her home, Rolls had sex with the woman and allegedly filmed it.

Mr Smith said: “While he was doing that, he had his phone out and she assumed he was taking a picture or video of what he was doing.

“After that he left, saying he needed to go to the shops for his wife.”

Jurors heard that the woman told police in interview that Rolls had asked her not to tell anyone about their relationship because he would lose his job.

The sexual relationship ended in November 2017 and the woman is said to have deleted his number from her phone, Mr Smith added.

He said Rolls, who resigned from the force in March 2023, denies having any sexual relations with the woman.

The trial continues.