A Police sergeant has denied being put under pressure to arrest a former chief superintendent accused of rape, stalking and other offences.
Detective Sergeant John "Mick" Stevenson was initially called to intercept a cyclist wanted over an alleged assault in Park Grove, west Hull, shortly after 7pm on August 20 last year.
He was with a police community support officer (PCSO) who stopped the cyclist in Princes Avenue, and recognised him as former Humberside Police chief superintendent Colin Andrews, whom he had known for about 20 years.
Det Sgt Stevenson said after confirming his details, Mr Andrews was allowed "to go on his way", and he intended to inform the force's professional standards branch (PSB) the following day.
But the officer said he decided to arrest Mr Andrews after returning to Park Grove and seeing a text message from Mr Andrews to a woman who claims she was stalked by him.
The officer said he was briefly shown the message, and told Manchester Crown Court: "There were names mentioned in the text and it also mentioned the drug cocaine.
"From that point on, to be fair, that changed the aspect of what I was dealing with, because my understanding was that was a threatening text message.
"The message had been sent by the defendant to a witness in some attempt to intimidate."
Det Sgt Stevenson said he asked to speak to the duty officer for PSB and was told it was Detective Chief Inspector Mark "Mo" Oliver, who he then spoke to.
He said: "I'd already made the decision myself but I was just confirming with the detective chief inspector.
"My decision was that Mr Andrews would have to be arrested because of the fact a text message had been sent, a witness was being intimidated, and I couldn't allow that to continue."
The defence say the duty PSB officer that night was Detective Inspector Sharon Jenkins.
Det Sgt Stevenson went with the same PCSO to arrest Mr Andrews at his then home in Hessle, and discovered he was in Darley's pub in Boothferry Road, Hessle.
He said he looked through a window, saw Mr Andrews on his own, and decided to call him on his mobile to ask him to come outside to avoid the embarrassment of arresting him in the pub. He cautioned him and arrested him on suspicion of assault.
Det Sgt Stevenson also seized Mr Andrews' phone, put it in an evidence bag and gave it the exhibit reference JMS1.
Mr Andrews was then taken to Priory Road Police Station, booked in and placed in a cell.
At 11.55pm, having spoken to Det Chief Insp Oliver again, he went back to the station custody suite.
"For what purpose?", asked Owen Edwards, prosecuting.
"I was asked to further arrest the defendant for the offence of stalking," he replied.
The court heard Mr Andrews' friends in the pub called 999 fearing he had been "kidnapped", as he effectively "disappeared" after receiving a phone call.
Beginning her cross-examination, Tania Griffiths QC, defending, said: "Sergeant Stevenson, you've changed your evidence, haven't you."
"Not that I believe," he replied.
"The detective chief inspector put pressure on you to change your evidence," she said
"No, not at all," he answered.
Miss Griffiths asked him: "Where in your statement does it say it was your view that the defendant had intimidated...?" [woman cannot be identified for legal reasons].
"That is my view."
"Where is it in the statement?" she pressed.
"It's my view," the sergeant replied.
The court heard the police log was "buzzing" with officers trying to find out details of Mr Andrews' arrest, to such an extent that access to it was restricted.
The barrister said: "You knew when you arrested Mr Andrews this was going to be a big story."
"I knew nothing of the sort," Sgt Stevenson said.
Miss Griffiths said: "Colin Andrews, taken to his own police station under arrest and placed in a cell?
"You knew full well that was big news that night, didn't you."
"Not at all," he replied.
In re-examination, Mr Edwards asked the officer: "Were you placed under pressure to take a firmer line than you would otherwise have taken?"
He replied: "Not at all. I made that decision and I stand by that decision."
Mr Andrews, 58, denies rape, stalking, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, witness intimidation, harassment and two counts of common assault.
The trial continues.
