Jury out as former Cleveland Police officer faces sex offence allegations

Former Cleveland Police officer David Waller faces allegations from seven women.

Waller denies the allegations against him, saying sex was either consensual or the victims had made up their stories.

Nick Lumley QC, for Lumley, told the jury at Teesside Crown Court Waller had found himself at the centre of a ‘snowball’ of allegations after a story appeared in the Daily Mail.

“That story is forever there,” said Mr Lumley. “Google Mr Waller’s name and up it will come.

“He has no control over that, the allegation was reported, and Mr Waller found himself at the centre of a snowball of further allegations.

“It’s not a unique situation to him, if the accused is cleared it doesn’t get reported, or barely so.

“People do make things up, and we know that people sometimes make up rape and other allegations.

“Mr Waller may be a needy attention seeker, but he is not, we suggest, a predatory paedophile.”

Prosecutor Matthew Bean told the jury Waller was with Cleveland Police between 2006 and 2010, during which time he is alleged to have begun an inappropriate sexual relationship with a woman who had reported an unrelated crime.

Waller, 33, of Eastleigh, Thornaby, is accused of a string of sex offences against seven victims.

He faces a charge of rape, three charges of inciting underage girls to take part in sexual activity, three charges of meeting or attempting to meet a girl following sexual grooming, two charges of indecent assault of a child, one charge of sexual assault, and one charge of misconduct in public office.

Two charges of rape against an eighth victim were withdrawn earlier in the trial following legal submissions.

The Recorder, Mr Toby Hedworth QC, sent the jury out to consider its verdicts on Wednesday afternoon.

The jury was sent home on Wednesday night, and will resume its deliberations on Thursday morning.

The case continues.