Brighton footballer in sex assault trial admits exposing himself

A Brighton and Hove Albion footballer admitted pulling down his boxer shorts and posing for a picture next to a sleeping teenager.

George Barker denied touching the 19-year-old woman and said that he posed for the photo after fellow Albion player Anton Rodgers had done the same thing and made their team mates laugh.

They were in a hotel room at the Jury’s Inn by Brighton Station after celebrating victory in the Sussex Senior Cup final in July 2011.

Barker was one of six players in the room where he said that the teenager had climbed into bed between him and Rodgers and kissed them both.

He said that beforehand he and Rodgers had been sleeping when their colleagues and the girl had come into the room.

After posing with his pants down Barker said that he left the room.

When he came back one of his team mates had sprayed his initials in foam on the teenager’s thigh. He posed beside the woman, who is now 21, with his thumbs up.

The photo is the only one to have been found on any of the players’ phones although Barker said that four pictures were taken on Rodgers’s phone.

Barker is the first of four players to give evidence during the trial at the Central Criminal Court, better known as the Old Bailey.

Three Albion players, Barker, 21, Rodgers, 20, and Lewis Dunk, 21, deny sexual assaulting the woman in her sleep as does former team mate 21-year-old Steve Cook, who has since joined Bournemouth.

Barker and Rodgers, both of Highview Avenue North, Brighton, Dunk, of Woodbourne Avenue, Brighton, and Cook, of Perth Road, St Leonard’s, also deny voyeurism.

The two other Albion players in the room were Ben Sampayo and Leon Redwood. They do not face any charges.

The trial continues.