Former NSW Police officer accused of 1998 rape, court hears prior alleged incidents

A former NSW Police officer accused of raping a 17-year-old girl at the station where he worked "locked up" and "handcuffed" her on two separate occasions months before to the alleged assault, a court has heard.

David Robert Blackbourne was serving as a police officer when he allegedly raped the teenage girl in a NSW-Victoria border town in October, 1998.

He has been charged with two counts of assault with act of indecency, two counts of sexual intercourse without consent, and one count of holder of public office misconduct him or himself.

Mr Blackbourne, 56, was arrested in 2023 and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

His trial began this week in Sydney's Downing Centre District Court, where the complainant took the witness stand on Tuesday.

She told the court that the accused locked her in a cell months before the alleged rape.

She said she and a friend were picked up by Mr Blackbourne and another officer in a NSW Police vehicle late at night and driven to the station.

"We were told they kept drinks that were confiscated from when they were working and they were kept in a fridge in the police station," the complainant said.

The woman told the court she was offered an alcoholic beverage and that shortly after Mr Blackbourne asked her whether she wanted to see inside one of the cells.

She said yes and walked down the corridor to the cells, the court heard.

"It was a big brick cell and it was very cold and dark and damp," the woman said.

She said told the court she was in the cell for approximately 10 minutes before Mr Blackbourne unlocked the door.

"I became quite panicked. It was cold and dark," she said.

'Put handcuffs on me'

The complainant told the court that about five weeks later Mr Blackbourne picked her up with a friend and drove them into bushland.

"He stopped the police car and then another police car entered into bushland," she said.

The woman said a second police officer entered the vehicle and sat in the back seat next to her friend.

"I was in the front seat with Dave and that is when Dave put handcuffs on me," she said.

"He then kissed me."

The Crown prosecutor asked the victim whether she gave Mr Blackbourne permission.

"No I did not," she said.

'He wasn't in a good mood'

The woman told the court that in October 1998 she attended a police station and Mr Blackbourne gave her a police hat that was to be worn at a year 12 muck-up day.

"I walked into the police station and I remember we had a very brief conversation … he wasn't in a good mood," she said.

The woman said Mr Blacbourne gave her the hat near the front counter, but "things changed very quickly".

"He said, 'You are not leaving yet,'" the complainant told the court.

"He then kissed me."

She told the jury she was taken behind the counter and that Mr Blackbourne pulled her pants down and raped her.

She said he then took her to another room and sexually assaulted her again.

She said she left the police station after the alleged assaults and walked home.

She said she was very upset and overwhelmed and stopped on a bridge on the way to her house.

"I was contemplating jumping off [the bridge]," the woman said.

She told the court that the first person she told about the alleged incident was her now-husband in 2002.

The woman contacted Victoria Police in 2016 and the investigation was handed to NSW Police in 2021.

The trial, presided over by Judge Huw Baker SC, continues.