A FORMER RAF engineer and father-of-two has been found guilty of sexual assault.

David Ashford, the former chair of players at Basingstoke Rugby Football Club, stared straight ahead as the verdict was announced today, following six hours and 29 minutes of deliberations by a jury of eight men and four women.

Crying was heard from the public gallery as the jury returned its verdict, finding Ashford not guilty of count one, relating to a sexual assault in the store room at Basingstoke Rugby Football Club, and guilty of count two, relating to a sexual assault in the changing rooms at the club.

The incident happened at the club, in Pack Lane, Kempshott, on November 11 last year, following a rugby game against Portsmouth.

The court heard that 33-year-old Ashford was leading ‘initiation games’ for new players at the club on the day the assault happened, which involved them drinking a ‘dirty pint’ of mixed drinks and eating Weetabix.

Ashford, who works for a defence contracting company, was described by prosecutor Sarah Morris as an “arrogant sexual predator”.

On the first day of the trial on Monday, the victim, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, cried in court as she recalled the incident, describing Ashford pulling at her dress in the club changing rooms, before putting his hand up her dress and touching her thigh.

“I said no, but he carried on,” she told the court. “He got quite far up, to the top of my thigh. I was holding his hand trying to stop him going any further.”

Ms Morris told the court today that the assault had a “lasting impact” on the victim, adding: “She became upset during her recall.”

Earlier in the week Ashford was acquitted of another three counts relating to two indecent exposures and one sexual assault, after Judge Keith Cutler advised the jury there was no evidence to answer to relating to these offences.

Wearing a light grey suit, purple tie and striped shirt, Ashford remained expressionless as Judge Cutler warned him he will have to sign the sex offenders’ register.

He added: “It is an unpleasant offence and one that should not have happened and which has had an impact on the victim.”

Ashford is due to be sentenced later this afternoon.