A MAN ALLEGED TO HAVE SEXAULLY ASSAULTED A WOMAN W

A MAN ALLEGED TO HAVE SEXAULLY ASSAULTED A WOMAN WHILE HIS

PARTNER BLASTED HER HUSBAND WITH A SHOTGUN DURING A RAID ON AN

ANTIQUES SHOP, DONNED A STOCKING MASK IN COURT AS HE PROTESTED HIS

INNOCENCE.

CLAUDE THOMPSON, 30, PULLED ON THE MASK AND DRESSED UP IN A

BEIGE JUMPER AND WHITE TRAINING SHOES WORN BY THE ROBBER DURING THE

RAID ON THE WEYBRIDGE HOME OF ROBERT AND MARY FOSTER.

AND AS HE PARADED IN FRONT OF THE JURY AT INNER LONDON CROWN

COURT HE TOLD THEM: ‘THESE CLOTHES ARE NOT MINE.

THE JUMPER IS TOO

SMALL.

IT’S TIGHT UNDER THE ARMS.

THE SHOES ARE TOO BIG, I CAN’T

WALK IN THEM PROPERLY.

HE ADDED: ‘I’VE NEVER BEEN TO WEYBRIDGE AND I NEVER

INDECENTLY ASSAULTED THAT LADY.

I’M INNOCENT.

‘

THOMPSON WAS ARRESTED AFTER ARTIST MARY FOSTER SKETCHED HER

ATTACKERS FACE FOR POLICE.

DETAILS OF THE ROBBERY WERE GIVEN ON BBC’S

”CRIMEWATCH” PROGRAMME.

AFTER HIS ARREST BOTH MRS FOSTER AND HER HUSBAND, OF

CHURCH STREET, PICKED OUT THOMPSON AT AN IDENTITY PARADE IN WHICH ALL

IN THE LINE WORE STOCKING MASKS.

THOMPSON CLAIMED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ROBBERY IN APRIL

THIS YEAR HE WAS AT HOME WATCHING THE WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIPS ON

TELEVISION.

‘AS IT WAS APRIL THE SNOOKER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WERE ON TV

AND I WOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING IT ALL THE TIME,’ HE TOLD THE JURY.

‘I WOULDN’T HAVE MISSED THE SNOOKER – UNLESS IT WAS FOR SOMETHING

REALLY IMPORTANT.

‘
DESCRIBING HIMSELF AS A SEMI-PROFESSIONAL SNOOKER PLAYER, HE

TOLD THE JURY THAT HE MADE A LIVING OUT OF PLAYING THE PROS FOR

MONEY.

‘THE MOST I HAVE EVER WON AT ONE GO WAS #1,500,’ HE ADDED.

EARLIER MR NIGEL MYLNE, QC, DEFENDING THOMPSON, OPENED HIS

CASE BY TELLING THE JURY THAT THE ONLY EVIDENCE AGAINST THOMPSON WAS

THAT OF IDENTIFICATION BY THREE WINESSES.

COUNSEL CONTINUED, ‘THE PROSECUTION IDENTIFICATION EVIDENCE

IS SO UNSATISFACTORY THAT IT IS AN AFFRONT TO JUSTICE.

‘IT WOULD BE A RASH MAN OR WOMAN WHO WOULD SAY ”GUILTY”
ON THE STRENGTH OF THAT.

‘
MR MYLNE ADDED THAT THOMPSON HAD NO ALIBI FOR THE NIGHT OF

THE ATTACK AND WAS UNABLE TO CALL ANY WITNESSES TO VOUCH FOR
HIM AT THE TIME.

THOMPSON, OF HAWES CLOSE, NORTHWOOD, MIDDLESEX, AND THE
ALLEGED GUNMAN, HIS BROTHER-IN-LAW DAVID JUDD, 28, OF BRICKETS
CLOSE, RUISLIP, BOTH DENY ROBBERY AND POSSESSION OF A REVOLVER
WITH INTENT TO COMMIT AN OFFENCE.

THOMPSON IS ALSO CHARGED WITH INDECENTLY ASSAULTING MRS MARY

FOSTER AND JUDD WITH ATTEMPTING TO MURDER 44 YEAR OLD MR ROBERT

FOSTER.

THE TRIAL CONTINUES.

ENDS