Former Met Police sergeant brands sexual assault allegations ‘ludicrous’
A former Metropolitan Police sergeant accused of using his rank to sexually assault junior officers has branded allegations against him “ludicrous” and a “fabrication”, a court heard.
Lee Symons, 48, also denied the suggestion that one of his four accusers was a “slave” to him.
The defendant, of Hampshire, is charged with 12 counts of sexual assault and one assault by penetration, dating back as far as 2009, and relating to three men and one woman who were all serving under him as junior police officers when the alleged acts took place.
Giving evidence at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday, Symons – who has since left the Met – denied touching any of the complainants sexually. The jury heard previously that the former sergeant claims all the accusations are untrue and have been made up by the complainants.
Responding to an allegation that he touched a subordinate in a car and took hold of his genitals, Symons said: “I just find it ludicrous.”
On the claim that he repeatedly touched the then-probationary officer at a pub, he told the court: “It is just fabrication.”
Symons also said that he did not pull the same complainant’s underwear down in a locker room at the police station and put his finger and thumb up his anus, saying it is not something he would want to do and that he would not have been able to overpower the officer to do it.
He denied touching another male complainant on the inner thigh and saying: “Don’t worry, I will look out for you.”
Symons told the court that after a defibrillator machine he was carrying swung and hit someone in the groin at work he would flick the back of his hand towards the groin area of other officers in what became an “ongoing joke” that others participated in.
He said it was never his intention to make contact but that it would accidentally happen on a “sporadic” basis.
The prosecution told jurors earlier in the trial that Symons used “bullying, controlling and exploitative” behaviour against his subordinates.
On Wednesday, he denied instilling an understanding in people that they would face consequence if they did something he did not want, adding: “I don’t understand where that has come from it could not be (more) the polar opposite.
“I have done everything I can to try and help people and try and support them.”
He rejected the suggestion that there was a necessity for junior officers to do what he wanted in order from them to pass probation, saying there was “nothing of the sort”.
The defendant joined the force in 2002 after serving for seven years in the military. He had taken and passed the inspector exam and was due to be promoted before he was suspended over allegations.
Symons denies all 13 charges. The trial continues on Thursday.