Police officer ‘raped young girl and tried to pull her into bath’

Martyn Coulter is alleged to have attacked the child at an address in East Lothian in late 2014.

(Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Archive)

A police officer raped a girl when she was around six years old, a court has been told.

The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, gave pre-recorded evidence to the High Court in Edinburgh on Wednesday, alleging that Martyn Coulter, 36, raped her on one occasion in late 2014.

Coulter, who is suspended from Police Scotland, is accused of raping a woman and assaulting her three times between June 2013 and November 2014 at addresses in East Lothian and Edinburgh, and is also accused of being threatening towards her.

He is further charged with raping, sexually assaulting and threatening a girl under 13.

I had no idea what was going on. I was screaming. I was really scared. I didn't know what happened

Witness

The girl said he covered her mouth with his hand before raping her at an address in East Lothian.

She said she did not tell anybody at the time because Coulter threatened her, telling her he would “beat her black and blue” if she told anyone.

“I had no idea what was going on. I was screaming. I was really scared. I didn’t know what happened,” her statement said.

“I didn’t want to tell anyone at the time because I didn’t know what it was.”

In another incident, the girl said Coulter tried to pull her into a bath with him while he was naked and touched her legs, chest and shoulders.

She said she had initially walked in on him and made to leave when she saw he was in the bath.

Her statement said he told her: “No, wait. Stay and come in with me.”

But she added: “I said no, because I was seven, getting asked to go in a bath with a fully grown man.”

She also accused Coulter of touching her vagina on several occasions in late 2014.

Coulter denies all charges against him and has lodged a special defence, saying that between September 6 and 21 2013 he was in England on a military police training course.

Defending Coulter, Ian Duguid KC asked a police officer who had been involved in the case if the child had been medically examined, but the officer said she did not know.

On Wednesday morning, the court heard from another child who said she hid in a cupboard due to Coulter’s threatening behaviour.

She also said she had heard him throwing another child against a radiator and hitting a woman’s head on a kitchen cabinet in late 2014.

The trial continues before Lady Drummond.