Andrew Kirkland: Met Police officer ‘abuse’ porn searches before alleged sex assault

A FORMER Met Police officer searched for pornographic content of a ‘passed out girl abused’ just days before he allegedly performed a sex act over a sleeping child, a court has heard.

In the second day of the child sexual abuse trial, a jury was told that Andrew Kirkland, of Stoney Stanton in Leicester, made multiple online searches relating to females sleeping.

This came just three days before he allegedly visited a young girl’s bedroom at around 3am when he thought she was asleep.

He is accused of having pulled back the girl’s duvet covers before performing a sex act on himself.

The 42-year-old former Metropolitan Police neighbourhood officer, who was based at Ickenham, London, denies a single charge of sexual assault.

READ THE FULL ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE TRIAL HERE

On day two of the trial at Reading Crown Court, the jury heard from a parent of the alleged victim, who described the moment ‘alarm bells’ rang in their head after being told what Kirkland allegedly did in front of the child.

The prosecution first called forensic scientist Sarah Kalageros, who works at a laboratory in Staffordshire, to give evidence.

Ms Kalargeros was part of a team examining the girl's bedsheets. The child, from Berkshire, was sleeping at the time of the alleged incident.

Police sent a night dress, a bed sheet, a mattress protector, and a duvet cover to her lab for inspection.

Ms Kalargeros said she found semen on all four of the items her team inspected.

The forensic scientist said the DNA from the items matched that of Mr Kirkland, and that it was a “billion times more likely” to have come from the defendant than from another individual.

The witness said it was a “likely finding” that Kirkland ejaculated onto the girl’s bed. A claim the defendant denies.

On day one of the trial, the court heard that Kirkland’s version of events were that he was ‘aroused’ and had performed a sex act on himself in a separate room.

Andrew Kirkland. Image via Hyde News and Pictures

It is claimed he wiped himself on his stomach with his hands, transferring the contents to the girl’s sheets when he was changing her bedding.

Ms Kalargeros considered the possibility of the defendant, saying it was possible semen could have got onto his hands following this act and transferred onto the bedding.

However, she said the volume of semen made it more likely he had performed the sex act while beside the girl and the bedding.

Defending, Mr Colin McCarraher addressed the scientiest, saying: "I don’t think you can sit there and say there is a particular amount any male can produce in ejaculate."

Ms Calligeros agreed each male can produce different amounts after performing a sex act.

However, the forensic scientist added: "If somebody had [it] on their hands and they had taken sheets off, I would have expected to see semen on the corners and varying areas of the bedsheet."

The witness explained how a chemical test showed 'sizeable' stains in several areas, some almost 30cm wide.

Later in the day, the court heard from the alleged victim’s parent.

The court heard the child said: “Andy [Andrew Kirkland] gave me a heart attack last night.”

The parent asked what the child meant and she said it was Kirkland who had wet her bed and that he had put water on her leg.

It was at this point the parent said their ‘alarm bells were ringing’, the court was told. 

She asked how it got on her leg, to which the girl told her that Kirkland had pulled back her covers, causing the defendant to be able to see her bottom.

It was put to the girl that she might have been dreaming, but the child said to check Kirkland’s phone as she claimed he had taken pictures of her at the time of the alleged incident.

The police were called and Kirkland was arrested at 3.13pm on the same day. The bedsheets and Kirkland's phone were seized. 

At the end of day two of the trial, prosecutor Paul Fairley read out some more evidence.

The court heard how, following a police search of his phone, Kirkland made multiple online searches for pornographic content on March 8, three days before the alleged incident took place.

The online searches were mostly based around young girls sleeping.

‘Passed out girl abused’ and ‘passed out naked on the bed’ were two of the searches Kirkland made.

The trial continues at Reading Crown Court on Wednesday, February 2.