Derbyshire fire chief rape trial latest: Sexual swinger claims ‘ludicrous’

Derbyshire fire chief, Sean Frayne, accused of raping a woman has denied in court that he is into swinging.
Sean Frayne arrives at Derby Crown Court.Sean Frayne arrives at Derby Crown Court.
Sean Frayne arrives at Derby Crown Court.

The 48-year-old was giving evidence at his rape trial at Derby Crown Court yesterday.

He denies the rape, which is alleged to have taken place in a pub in Etwall in December 2006. He claims he had sex with the woman but that it was consensual.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Frayne was asked by prosecutor Martin Hurst if he had forced himself on the woman because he thought that he and his wife were going to “engage in some swinging” – swapping sexual partners.

“No,” said Frayne. “Where is this going to stop? This is absolutely ludicrous.”

Mr Hurst said: “Mr Frayne, for whatever reason, you misread the signs that night, didn’t you?”

He replied: “It’s very difficult to misread the signs I was presented with. Someone kissing me, grabbing me between the legs and then turning round is very difficult to misread.”

Hide Ad

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard that, almost seven years later, in August 2013, the woman confided in a friend about the alleged incident.

Hide Ad

Two months later, that friend sent two letters to Frayne, accusing him of being a rapist and suggesting that the matter could be settled through an out-of-court payment.

Asked if his wife had known that something had happened between him and the woman that night, Frayne said: “No.”

Mr Hurst said: “I’m suggesting that, from October [date of first letter] to February [date of arrest] you were living a lie about what happened.”

“That’s correct,” replied Frayne.

Hide Ad

“It’s a lie you were prepared to live with?” asked Mr Hurst.

“But I had already lived with it from 2006 until 2013 – I had a one-night stand with somebody and she [his wife] didn’t know.”

Hide Ad

Frayne said he had not gone to the police about the letters because not only did he want to protect the fire service, which was in the media spotlight at the time because of proposed station closures, but also for himself because he had not told his wife that he’s had a “one-night stand and been unfaithful”.

Mr Hurst asked: “Did you not consider it was part of your duty either to go to the police or at the very least to go to someone in the fire service with these letters?”

Hide Ad

Frayne replied: “No, because the allegation was ludicrous and rightly or wrongly there’s an expectation when you reach a certain position you will show a level of resilience.”

Giving evidence on Monday Frayne said he hoped a letter accusing him of rape would go away and his wife would never find out. He had told the court on Friday that the allegation had wrecked his life.

Earlier in the trial, asked by his lawyer, Laura Pitman, why he had done it, Frayne replied: “I was a fool. I don’t know. I had never experienced anything like it in my life... A full-blown come-on.”

Hide Ad

He said they had been alone together and the woman had suddenly kissed him. His wife had been in another room of the pub at the time.

Hide Ad

“It was a nice kiss – it was a very warm, welcoming, passionate kiss,” Frayne told the jury.

He said that he had then felt her hand between his legs and he had become aroused. She had then guided him into having sex with her, he told the jury.

He said that neither of them had spoken until afterwards when she looked at him and said: “We shouldn’t have done that with your wife... (nearby).”

Last week the jury heard that almost seven years later, in August 2013, the woman had confided in a friend about the alleged incident.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Two months later, that friend sent two letters to Frayne, just weeks apart, accusing him of being a rapist and suggesting the matter could be settled through an out-of-court payment.

The woman reported the alleged rape in December 2013.

When officer’s arrived at his home he told he believed he was being blackmailed, but no charges were ever bought.

Today (Tuesday) the barristers and the judge will sum up the evidence in the case before the jury is sent out.

Related topics: