Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
Geoffrey Bennett

Yate man on trial charged with groping woman and two girls

A Yate man denies groping a woman and two teenage girls.

It is claimed Martin Axford pinned the woman against a wall, pulled her dress down and exposed her bra.

It is also alleged the 51-year-old pulled one girl's top up and touched her chest, and stroked another girl's bottom.

Axford, of Milton Road, denies three charges of sexual assault.

Bristol Crown Court heard he claims the woman flashed her knickers at him, one of the youngsters offered herself to him and nothing happened regarding the third girl.

Richard Posner, prosecuting, said it was not in dispute that Axford had been drinking at the time of the allegations.

But he told the court: "His memory is starkly different from those accusing him of lecherous and unwelcome behaviour.

"He says he did not sexually touch the woman and it was she who flashed her knickers at him."

Attending Bristol Crown Court as a witness

The jury of nine women and three men watched a DVD interview the woman had with police.

She described how Axford pinned her against a garage wall at 11pm.

The woman told police: "He pulled the top of my dress down, exposing my bra.

"Then he came towards my face.

"It was just panic.

"Somebody must have then come out and called my name. That's when it stopped."

The woman said that, later, Axford claimed it was the woman who pulled her dress down in front of him.

She said a complaint was made to police when it emerged Axford was accused of also groping two teenage girls.

The case continues.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.