A ROYAL Navy sailor allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old holidaymaker in a lay-by after taking her on a late night drive in the Devon countryside.
Alan Fewings was on leave and staying at the same house in Newton Abbot as the girl who was in the area for a week during her summer holidays in 1977.
He allegedly invited her out to a pub but stopped in a lay-by on the way home and sexually assaulted her in the front and back seats of his car.
The girl told Exeter Crown Court she was a naive young teenager with no knowledge or experience of sex and was so frightened and confused she did not tell anyone for years.
Fewings, now aged 62, of Rydon Avenue, Kingsteignton, denies a single offence of indecent assault. He says no sexual contact took place.
Mr Andrew Macfarlane, prosecuting, said Fewings was 23 at the time and was staying at the same house where the girl was on holiday staying with her extended family.
The woman told the jury Fewings was in the Royal Navy and on leave at the time. She said he took her out for a drive one evening and they went to a pub briefly.
She said on the way back he stopped in a layby before putting his hands inside her underwear. They both ended up in the back seat where he lay on top of her.
She said he took her back and said they were late because they had been to Paignton seafront to look at the lights.
She said: ’At that age I was in shock. I had no idea what was happening. I had no sexual experience and was quite naive. I have just blocked it out of my mind. I was so frightened I didn’t say anything.
’I don’t know where the pub was or where the lay-by was. It was dark and I was on holiday and did not know the area.’
She said she went to the police after a chance meeting with Fewings at a funeral in 2015 which brought back memories she could not cope with.
The trial continues