West Yorkshire police officer allegedly touches 3 women at Popworld and gets kicked out. Then he reveals his job and demands to see security’s IDs

Police Constable Martin Brough is currently on trial at York Crown Court after being accused of sexually assaulting three women at a nightclub. The 44-year-old officer, who works for West Yorkshire Police, denies all three charges of sexual assault stemming from an incident at Popworld in York. The prosecution alleges that these events took place in December 2024.

Prosecutor Michael Morley opened the case by presenting CCTV footage to the jury. This footage reportedly shows Brough on the club’s dance floor with a bottle in one hand.

According to the prosecution, the video shows Brough intentionally touching the bottoms of three different women from behind over a short period. Mr Morley stated to the court, “We suggest from the CCTV, which focuses on the defendant’s actions on the dance floor, the defendant can be seen touching the bottoms of three women during a short period of time.”

Brough was off duty during the time of the incident

The situation escalated when security staff at the venue noticed women reacting to Brough as he moved past them. The staff decided to remove him from the building. Once he was outside, Brough allegedly identified himself as a police officer and demanded that the security team show him their identification.

Mr Morley noted that since Brough was off duty at the time, the security staff were not required to follow his demands. On-duty police officers who arrived after Brough was kicked out claimed he appeared intoxicated and told him to return home.

The prosecution faces a challenge because the identities of the three women are unknown, meaning none of them will provide evidence in court. Mr Morley explained that the core issues for the jury to consider involve intent, consent, and whether the physical contact was sexual in nature. Regarding the first woman, the prosecution argues that the contact was intentional and sexual, occurring without her consent. They maintain the same position regarding the second woman.

The physical contacts were “purely accidental”

Brough has offered his own explanations for the physical contact captured on video. He claims that he was only pulling on the clothing of one of the alleged victims. As for the other two women, he asserts that any physical contact that occurred was “purely accidental.” When he was interviewed by police following the incident, Brough chose to not comment.

The trial is ongoing at York Crown Court. The courtroom has been shown footage of the crowded dance floor on George Hudson Street where the alleged incidents occurred. It is a strange and concerning situation, especially given his role in law enforcement. Watching how the jury interprets the dance floor footage will be the key to this trial. It is clear that the lack of victim testimony makes the video evidence the centerpiece of the prosecution’s argument.

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