A Sussex Police chief inspector had sex with a vulnerable junior officer in her home and allegedly filmed it as he took advantage of her sexually, a court has heard.

David Rolls, 46, is accused of misconduct in public office by forming a sexual relationship with another officer, who was struggling with bipolar disorder, between 2016 and 2018.

Rolls, who left the force last year, is said to have “wilfully misconducted himself” to “engage in a sexual relationship”, the prosecution say.

He denies wrongdoing.

Prosecutor Alisdair Smith said at the beginning of Rolls' trial in Lewes today that someone in his position should have, or would have, realised that having sex with someone who was vulnerable was an “improper thing to do”.

Mr Smith said: "During her [the vulnerable officer's] service with Sussex Police, one of her senior officers was this defendant.

"He purported to have concerns but took advantage of her sexually.

"Rather than being concerned with her wellbeing, he was only concerned with his own sexual satisfaction.”

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Jurors heard that the pair exchanged flirty and intimate messages and pictures, and on one occasion Rolls asked for a hug while he was aroused, and asked the woman to give him oral sex, which she did.

Asked why she did this, the officer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she did it to “please him”, the prosecution said.

The court heard that, on another visit to her home, Rolls had sex with the woman and allegedly filmed it.

Mr Smith said: “While he was doing that, he had his phone out and she assumed he was taking a picture or video of what he was doing.

“After that he left, saying he needed to go to the shops for his wife.”

Jurors heard that the woman told police in interview that Rolls had asked her not to tell anyone about their relationship because he would lose his job.

The sexual relationship ended in November 2017 and the woman is said to have deleted his number from her phone, Mr Smith added.

He said Rolls denies having any sexual relations with the woman.

Sussex Police said Rolls resigned as a detective chief inspector in March 2023.

The trial continues.