A RETIRED chief superintendent accused of rape, stalking and other offences only felt "wanted" when he was running murder inquiries, a court has heard.
Colin Andrews, 58, is on trial accused of rape, stalking, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, witness intimidation, harassment and two counts of common assault.
He denies all the offences.
Manchester Crown Court heard yesterday how Mr Andrews, who grew up in an orphanage, had struggled to adapt after retiring from his senior position at Humberside Police in January 2012, and had spoken to a counsellor about it.
He later rejoined the force in a civilian role as manager of the criminal justice unit.
It is claimed, as part of the prosecution case, that he bombarded three women with unwanted texts and calls.
In interview at Priory Road Police Station following his arrest on August 20, 2013, Mr Andrews said he had a "texting illness" and a "communication illness".
Asked to explain, he said: "It's got worse since I was retired.
"When I was chief superintendent, running murders, I was wanted, I was needed, I was everything, and when I retired from the police, these things went away from me."
Mr Andrews told the officer he had once taken 40 paracetamol tablets in a suicide attempt.
Asked about this, he said: "One particular night I'd just had enough and that what was what I decided to do. It was a one-off."
The jury was also read texts from Mr Andrews in which he threatened to reveal information to the press that would "bring down" the force's police and crime commissioner (PCC), Matthew Grove.
One text said: "I'm at Priory in morning. I've got friends in the press would pay big money to bring down the PCC."
Asked by the interviewing officer about the text, Mr Andrews said: "It's about a naughty boy stamping its feet."
The officer said he appeared to be claiming to have information that could "discredit or bring down the PCC".
"Of course I have," Mr Andrews replied.
The court heard an assistant chief constable had sent Mr Andrews on a course because he was considered "too rough" to be a superintendent.
Mr Andrews also claimed the anti-corruption unit that investigated him had fed him information about the inquiry.
Asked if he had discussed details of the allegations against him with colleagues, he said he was "quite open" about it because details of his arrest had been "leaked" to the Mail.
Mr Andrews said: "The reason was the leak to the press and I was labelled a stalker across the Hull Daily Mail.
"And DCI Oliver [Detective Chief Inspector Mark Oliver] was raking things up."
"How do you know that?", the interviewing officer asked.
Mr Andrews replied: "Let's say his team is not as tight as it should be. I'm not that stupid. I'm a detective, I knew where he'd go."
Mr Andrews was also asked about alleged threats made to Detective Inspector Joanne Roe.
She is the only one of the three women who can be identified because of reporting restrictions, but none of the charges relate to her.
Mr Andrews is said to have threatened to tell colleagues that Det Insp Roe had "bad-appled" former Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Donald, a reference to a confidential anti-corruption reporting system.
"How do you know she'd done that?" the officer asked.
"I just do," said Mr Andrews.
"Can you expand on that?"
"Well how did anyone know I was arrested?" Mr Andrews replied.
He said: "She was in a location, she was at a hotel, had knowledge of what occurred, so was in a position to pass on information.
"A senior officer met another senior officer and had a sexual relationship."
Det Insp Roe had earlier denied making any such report in respect of Mr Donald.
The trial continues.
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