Photographer denies rape (From Stroud News and Journal)

Photographer denies rape

A GLAMOUR photographer raped and indecently assaulted aspiring models during photo shoots at his family home, a court was told on Monday..

Dean Coles, 40, is charged with raping two women, including a 16-year-old girl, at the modelling agency he ran from his homes in Stroud and Rodborough.

Coles is also accused of attempting to rape two other women and indecently assaulting four more over a five year period. He denies all the charges.

Opening the case at Bristol Crown Court, Neil Ford QC told how Coles ran the Cotswold Models Agency first from family premises in Stroud, and later from Rodborough where he lived with his wife and children.

He said the agency was listed in the Yellow Pages as doing advertising, promotional and hospitality work, attracting calls from women wanting to start or further a career in modelling.

Coles, who told police he had started the business for his wife as a hobby, was interested in glamour or soft pornography work, the prosecutor added.

Mr Ford said: "The defendant was undoubtedly skilful, the prosecution say, at persuading or encouraging these woman into progressively more revealing poses."

He said some of the women were prepared to have topless or nude photos taken, while others were persuaded or bullied into the poses.

"Having established a rapport with them he would proposition them during the photographic shoot.

"He would request sexual favours or would simply proceed to touch the women inappropriately.

"He would not take no for an answer and by force or by mental domination and bullying we say he raped and attempted to rape and indecently assaulted the women who are the subject of the counts on the indictment."

Mr Ford claimed Coles told one women he is accused of raping that she would have to sleep with him in order to succeed in modelling.

The prosecution alleges Coles persuaded a 16-year-old who was interested in fashion show work to have explicit nude photos taken and then offered her money in return for sex.

Mr Ford said the girl told him she was not interested but she was then allegedly overpowered by the photographer.

"Whilst holding her down the prosecution say he raped her on his matrimonial bed," he added.

Coles used the bedroom as a studio and several of the alleged attacks took place in the room, the prosecutor claimed.

Mr Ford said: "It is not a crime to be sleazy. It is not a crime to have consensual sexual contact with women even though you are a married man and the sexual contact is taking place in your home - indeed on your bed."

But he added: "Because a woman consents to intimate pictures in the hope of developing a career and making money it does not mean that she will willingly participate in sexual acts with her agent or photographer.

"She can have photos taken - it does not mean that she is game on or easy or immoral." Mr Ford said the issue for the jury was to decide whether the sexual contact had taken place and if so whether it had been consensual.

He said the prosecution understood that Coles would say that in some of the cases there was no sexual contact at all and in others where there was, the women were willing parties.