Gwent police officer John Stringer's jury retires

John Stringer, 42, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault: two counts of inducing or soliciting a child under the age of 13 to engage in a sexual act and one count of inducing a child to watch a sexual act.

The defendant, an officer in active service for 14 years with a “good career,” denies any wrongdoing.

The prosecution alleges that Stringer showed the plaintiff a pornographic video of a woman masturbating and then asked her to imitate the actress.

He is also said to have sexually touched the underage girl.

Stringer was asked by his attorney James Tucker about his reaction when he was arrested in 2021.

“I was devastated – it was just such a shock,” he replied.

When Stringer was cross-examined by prosecutor Ian Wright, he explained the charges against him: “It doesn't make any sense to me.”

The jury was told that the defendant had watched adult pornographic films on his mobile phone but had deleted his internet history.

Stringer denied having any particular interest in watching “women masturbate.”

Of the alleged victim, Mr Wright told him: “You repeatedly touched her sexually.”

The defendant replied that this was not the case.

“You showed her a record video and induced or incited her to imitate what the woman in the video was doing,” the prosecutor alleged.

Stringer, of Fairwater, Cardiff, denied this.

At the beginning of the trial, the jury showed a recording of the girl's police interview.

She told investigators that Stringer played her a sex video after looking for it on his phone.

The alleged victim said: “He showed me a video of a girl who had nothing on her legs.

“She was rubbing it down there and making funny noises. She had no pants or underwear on.

“He asked me to do it and told me not to tell anyone or he would get into big trouble.”

Prosecutors allege he did this in Cardiff between December 2019 and July 2021.

Stringer was arrested after the girl spoke to teachers at her school.

The jury at Cardiff Crown Court retired at 12.04pm on Friday 6 September to consider their verdicts.

They are scheduled to continue their deliberations on Monday, September 9.