Woman 'made other assault claims'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/5364132.stm

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A woman who alleges she was groped by a former DUP councillor made other allegations against a trade unionist, a court has heard.

Roger Hutchinson, 54, denies assaulting the woman at Newtownabbey Borough Council's headquarters in 2003.

The woman also revealed she made a complaint against one of Mr Hutchinson's fellow councillors.

She alleged he had been at her house taking photographs, Belfast Crown Court heard.

Mr Hutchinson, from Millar's Forge in Dundonald, denies a single charge of indecently assaulting the woman.

Under cross examination, the woman agreed with a defence lawyer that the incident with the trade unionist had been an attempted "drunken kiss".

She said she had complained to her boss about the alleged indecent assault and was told the matter would be dealt with.

'Complaint to police'

However, she later confirmed to the lawyer that she could not remember him touching her, "just him trying to kiss you".

The woman also agreed with the lawyer that it had been a "friendly... drunken kiss" but that they had not actually kissed.

However, when the lawyer suggested to her that her allegation against the trade unionist was "baseless", she replied: "The incident happened."

In relation to the complaint about a councillor taking photographs, the woman said there had been "incidents and there were issues" between the two and the councillor "actually made a complaint or a request that he not have any dealings with me".

The woman said she had been at her home when she allegedly spotted him in his car and said "I had seen a flash of some description" and so made a complaint to the police, but added that "nothing ever came of it".

The case continues.