THE former chair of players at Basingstoke Rugby Football Club allegedly "dragged" a young woman into a store cupboard before touching her breast, a court heard.

David Ashford's trial began yesterday (August 20) at Winchester Crown Court having pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and two counts of indecent exposure involving two women, following a game against Portsmouth at the club's ground in Pack Lane, on November 11 last year.

The jury of eight men and four women heard that 34-year-old Mr Ashford, of Coniston Road, Kempshott, led drunken 'initiation games' on the same day the alleged offences happened, which involved them downing a 'dirty pint' of mixed drinks before shoving Weetabix into their mouths.

Opening the trial, prosecutor Sarah Morris told the jury that Mr Ashford is accused of a string of sexual assaults against the two women which all happened on the same day, during which he allegedly “dragged” one into a store cupboard and tried to kiss her, later touching her thigh and exposing his genitals, and indecently exposing himself to a second woman.

Ms Morris said he waited until his wife, who was club secretary, had left, adding: “He had little or no respect at all for either of these women and perhaps he believed they would say nothing and, if they did, who would believe them over a member of the club for 22 years, a respectable, married man?”

Taking to the stand first, one of the two alleged victims told the court that Mr Ashford bought her alcoholic drinks, which she gave to someone else because she did not want them.

She told the court she was with a group of people in the corridor at the clubhouse when Mr Ashford grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her into a store cupboard, where she alleges he then touched her breast and tried to kiss her.

“He got millimetres away from my lips. I pushed him and said ‘no, this can’t happen’,” she said.

She told the jury she didn’t tell anyone what had happened initially because “I just thought it was a stupid drunken mistake’.”

Later that same day the victim said Mr Ashford sexually assaulted her again, this time allegedly pulling at her dress in the club changing rooms, before putting his hand up her dress and touching her thigh then exposing his genitals in her face.

Crying as she recalled the alleged incident, the victim told the court: “I said no, but he carried on. He got quite far up, to the top of my thigh. I was holding his hand trying to stop him going any further. He then undid his trousers and exposed himself. He stood in front of me, undid his belt and pulled his trousers down slowly. He pulled his underwear down a little bit and got out his penis.”

She told the court that Mr Ashford left when they heard footsteps outside.

The alleged victim, whose identify is protected for legal reasons, said Mr Ashford later followed her outside where she was stood waiting, and pulled her to the side of the building by her wrist. 

The victim said she told two players about the alleged assault, but did not report it to the police.

The incidents were reported when the club’s chairman, Steve Tristram, was informed about the allegations by the second victim, and he reported it to the police.

Asked by defence barrister Nick Tucker why she did not report the matter to the police, the woman said: “If I had time to think about it I would have gone to the police myself or told him (Dr Tristram) myself. I hadn’t told my parents and I didn’t know what I wanted to do.”

Mr Tucker asked the woman why she did not cry out for help during the incident in the changing rooms, when she knew two other people were in a room nearby.

She said: “I always thought that if anything happened to me I would be the person to do something. I thought I would scream and kick, but I didn’t and I don’t know why I didn’t.”

He pointed out that she had added to her version of events over time, and accused her of discussing the matter with a witness when she had been told not to, in order to “piece together what had happened.”

The woman said she didn’t think the discussion with the witness was relevant to the trial.

The trial continues.