Met policeman from Burnham Market denies spying on female colleague in shower

A Metropolitan policeman from Burnham Market got sexual kicks from spying on a naked female officer while she was showering at their shared section house and then hid inside a toilet cubicle when he was caught, a London court was told today (Friday).

The policewoman says Oliver Levi Darby, 41, ogled her through a six-inch gap in the curtain before making up a story of feeling ill in a clumsy attempt at an excuse.

Metropolitan Police officer Darby, of Docking Road, Burnham Market, was staying at Gilmour Section House, Lambeth.

The officer, who works in Westminster has pleaded not guilty at Inner London Crown Court to one count of observing a person doing a private act for his sexual gratification on January 9.

Prosecutor Mr. Oliver Doherty told the jury the policewoman had just completed her shift and went to the shower room in her dressing gown at 7pm.

Mr Doherty said: “She had been in the shower for 10 minutes and noticed another person had entered the shower room and stood in the entrance of the wet room.

“Initially she thought it was another female and the person stood by the entrance to the wet room for about 10 seconds and said nothing.

“She had the feeling somebody was behind her so turned to her left and the curtain was open about six inches from the wall and she could see there was a person stood behind her, facing the shower cubicle.

“She is sure the person would have been able to see her naked as she was washing herself.

“As she turned around the person then dashed into the toilet cubicle.”

The policewoman told the jury: “From the corner of my eye I could see there was someone stood there.

“I had a feeling that someone was behind me and glanced over my left shoulder where the curtain was open and saw someone was open and saw someone was watching me.

“It was open approximately 6in. I saw a figure facing me, they were square-on facing me.

“It was very quick and they side-dived into the cubicle and locked the door. It was as if the second I saw them they side-stepped.

“I could see that it was a male, but did not want to believe it was a male.

“I grabbed my towel, I was so shocked. I was so shocked by the situation I thought maybe I was mistaken. I felt really exposed.”

Darby admitted he was in the shower room looking for a toilet cubicle to throw up in because there were none free in the gents.

However, Mr Doherty claimed: “He was there for sexual gratification because of the manner her was observing her and his behaviour afterwards when he dashed into the toilet cubicle.”

The court was told that the policewoman wrapped herself in a towel and waited for Darby, who eventually emerged after 20-30 minutes from the silent cubicle.

“She saw the shower room door open and and saw Mr. Darby emerge and strangely he was crouching down, almost crawling out of the room,” said Mr Doherty.

“The Crown say he was obviously trying to leave unseen.

“Mr. Darby must have known he had been spotted coming out and he had been rumbled again and darted back into the shower room.”

The policewoman confronted him and Darby said: “I’m sorry. There was something in my mouth and the other toilets were busy. I’m sorry, I was going to be sick and the men’s were busy.”

Darby also claimed he could not be sick in his room’s sink because there was something wrong with it.

“If he was being sick he would have probably run into the room and shouted his presence, rather than stop and observe her showering,” said the prosecutor.

“The Crown say his account is not right and that’s the excuse he’s made up to cover up his true intention.”

The policewoman told the jury she made eye-contact with Darby when she caught him trying to sneak out.

She told the court: “Nobody walks through a door like that. It appeared to me he was trying to hide.

“I was shaking, I was upset, I felt violated that a police officer was doing that.

“He said he would not risk his job.”

The trial continues.