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A woman alleges a footballer raped her and shared her intimate photos with teammates after a team victory celebration
A woman has come forward with harrowing details about a night that has led to serious legal repercussions for a footballer.
The court trial, which has gripped public attention, involves Michael Emery, a 33-year-old reserve goalkeeper for Warrington Rylands FC, who stands accused of raping the woman and distributing private images without her consent.
The incident is alleged to have occurred in the early hours of May 23, 2021, at Watford's Grove Hotel during celebrations of his team’s FA Vase cup final victory.
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According to the woman, whose identity is protected by legal constraints, what began as a consensual encounter ended in an ordeal where she was assaulted and photographed while unconscious.
Prosecutor Charlotte Newell KC, speaking at St Albans Crown Court, recounted the chilling sequence of events that unfolded after the woman fell asleep
"While she was asleep Mr. Emery demonstrated his total disregard for the autonomy and consent of the woman he had intercourse with by taking photographs of her naked without her knowledge and distributing them," Newell disclosed as per Daily Mail.
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The images were reportedly shared among Emery’s teammates with the disturbing caption, 'Anyone want a go?', sparking further outrage when revealed in court.
The victim only became aware of the violation of her privacy when she approached the club’s chairman over concerns about Emery’s role with a women’s team.
"It was during that conversation she learned Mr. Emery had also taken and distributed naked pictures of her without her consent that she felt compelled to involve the police," Newell added.
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During the trial, defense barrister Kate Blackwell KC interrogated the victim’s reactions and decisions post-assault.
Questions about why she did not leave the room or seek immediate help were met with poignant explanations of fear and shock.
“I didn't at that moment know what to do. I didn't have the control over my logical thought processes,” the woman testified, describing her state as not relaxed but "numb."
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Further complicating the narrative, the court heard how the evening began with consensual sex, described by the woman as "good" but "transactional."
She noted that nothing seemed amiss initially with Emery, who she considered "a perfectly friendly chap."
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However, her perception dramatically changed when he returned from a party elsewhere in the hotel.
"When he came back it was like something had changed. Like the look in his eyes," she recounted, describing further non-consensual acts including being bitten multiple times.
Emeryalso provided his account to the police claiming all acts were consensual and mentioning reciprocal physical marks as evidence of consensual interaction.
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