Exclusive:Waterlooville man accused of child sex offences had property vandalised after arrest, lawyer says
Michael Albery, 35 from Rodney Way, Waterlooville, has denied the charges of child sexual abuse.
A man who has been accused of multiple counts of child sex abuse had his property vandalised after being arrested, his lawyer said.
Michael Albery, 35 from Rodney Way, Waterlooville, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, two counts of raping a child, three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two counts of assaulting a child by touching, one count of attempted rape, and one count of causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity. He denies all the charges.
He had been charged with an additional count of intentional strangulation, but was found not guilty to this after the prosecution offered no evidence. Albery’s purported victims all have a life-long right to anonymity.
At Portsmouth Crown Court today (Tuesday, September 8), the jury was told of how Albery’s property was targeted by vandals after he was first arrested in February this year. The defendant was arrested twice, and interviewed on both occasions, in the space of just over a week.
Philip Allman, representing Albery, said he also reported to the police that he had received threats from people.
“Albery was arrested on February 2, and interviewed that same evening,” Mr Allman said. “The following afternoon, he was released on bail.
“Police were contacted the day after, and another witness was interviewed. Seven days after his initial release, the defendant is arrested again.
“In that interim period, another witness had contacted the police and given a video interview. Albery contacted police regarding threats he had received in the wake of these allegations - that included vandalism to his property.”
In both of Albery’s police interviews, he supplied prepared statements from his solicitors, before refusing to answer further questions put to him by officers, as is the right of anyone who is arrested.
His statements - parts of which have been omitted to protect the complainants’ identities - read: “I deny the allegations against me. I deny having any sexual activity; I never raped her, or caused or incited her to engage in sexual activity. This is all not true.
“I have never caused her to have, or had, any sexual activity with her. I’m confused, it’s not true and I’m hurt that these allegations have been made.”
His second statement added: “I never spent time alone with her, and never sexually assaulted her. I strongly deny the allegations being made against me.”
Gary Venturi, prosecuting, said: “One witness described Albery as aggressive and abusive.”
(Proceeding)