A former Gloucestershire Police officer has appeared in court accused of raping one woman and sexually assaulting another while they were asleep or heavily intoxicated. Craig Winston, 36, who was a student officer stationed in the Forest of Dean before resigning in February 2023, faces nine charges related to the alleged attacks.
The trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court revealed that the assaults occurred while Winston was off duty. Prosecutor Ahmed Hossein KC described Winston as “controlling and manipulative,” highlighting disturbing evidence found on the defendant’s phone, including Google searches for “sex with sleeping women.”
One complainant testified that she woke to find Winston sexually touching her, while the second described multiple assaults after falling asleep following alcohol consumption. The second woman also recounted being verbally abused and forced into unwanted sexual acts, with Winston referring to her as a “sex slave” to settle “debts.” She said Winston ignored her pleas to stop, continuing until he finished.
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Additionally, Winston allegedly attempted to dissuade the second complainant from cooperating with the police, and he faces a charge of perverting the course of justice. The court also heard that Winston stalked the first complainant, admitting off the record to police that he was “obsessed” with her. He reportedly followed her on social media, engaged with her posts, contacted her friends, and posted messages intended to elicit a reaction, all in violation of bail conditions related to the stalking charge.
Winston denies all nine charges, which include two counts of rape, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, controlling or coercive behaviour, assault by penetration, perverting the course of justice, and stalking causing serious alarm or distress.
The trial is ongoing.