Colehampton evening news, broadcast 17th August 2025 10.33pm

A 27 year old professional rugby player appeared in court on Day six of his trial. Joe Thomas pleads not guilty to charges of voyeurism, coercion and sexual assault. Day six opened in the wake of lewd revelations that the second row forward for Colehampton RFC has a sexual interest in 'gunging' and had taken part in a string of parties with sex workers who had been asked to perform acts on each other while Thomas watched. The sex workers are believed to be exclusively men, and would meet him in both hotels and his house in the Coleridge area of the city. The alleged behaviour spanned several months, with the authorities finally alerted to claims of coercion and assault. Thomas continues to refute all charges and the case continues.



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Colehampton police station, seven months earlier

Pc Saruti looked at his watch, "It's February 3rd 2025. Present is myself PC Saruti alongside me is WPC Glen. The time is 16.25 and the interviewee is Guy Harper. Mr Harper, you remain under caution and anything you say may be given in evidence. Do you understand "

"Yep," Harper replied, lounging on the plastic chair, his arms folded. He glanced from one officer to the other, a small smile tracing a thin line across his face. "You don't have anything on me, so let's 'ave it"

"Tell me about your contact with Joseph Thomas"

Harper rocked back in the chair, laughing loudly "Big Joe, the faggot rugby player who likes all that weird stuff?"

Saruti sidestepped the casual homophobia, "We have reason to believe Mr Thomas used the services you provide to supply him with sex workers for his pleasure"

Harper leaned forward his merriment evaporating, placing his elbows on the table mirroring the posture of the detective, "Pc Saruti" he said evenly, one eyebrow raised, "I'm honoured you think I have the network to provide such people, some might say you are calling me a pimp"

"Well, some might say it's a little strange you know who I was referring , if I you weren't" Saruti retorted

"So you think he's a weirdo faggot too then?"

"I'm not hear to answer your questions Mr Harper, I just want to understand how you and Mr Thomas know each other and the extent of your interaction with him"

Harper resumed his casual sitting position, stretching his arms up high, loosening out his muscles before lacing his fingers behind his head, arms out at right angles behind his head, "He just came on to me at a bar, can't help it if I'm his type. Being a modern liberal man I let him down gently, sorry mate, I prefer birds, you know, nothing too hurtful. Only since I knew you lot arrested him, did I know who he was and what he's done. As I said PC Saruti, he's a weirdo. If I could help you put him away I would, but sadly, I know nothing"

The beaming grin threatened to cut Harpers head in two, the smile so wide his gold tapped tooth glinted under the lights of the interview room


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Freddie : so you got a job for me boss?

Big GH : yeah you and Brett

Freddie : ok! A double up. 3sum?

Big GH : nah, he just wants to watch

Freddie: sweet, fed up wiv u sending me to old men lol. Although that bloke from the soap opera was old, but cute

Big GH: You're shit outta luck then, cos this one's a pro rugby player!!!

Freddie : fuck off!

Big GH: straight up. First time you meet a fit celeb and you can't fuck him lol

Freddie : just my luck eh lol

Big GH : you may think you've had a lucky escape when you know what he wants you to do lol

Freddie: lol wtf?

Big GH: yeah apparently into custard pies and shit like that. You and Brett gonna get kinda sticky lololol oh and take some spare clothes

Freddie : wtf? so top dollar pay out?

Big GH : Of course. Only the best for my boys. Anyway he's a celeb and into weird shit. Maybe you'll be able to negotiate a "better rate"

Freddie : gotcha

Big GH : I'll send deets in a bit. Probably hotel first time.

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Freddie Morley.

Yes that's right. We just bumped into him at a bar. Me and Brett were just chatting and he said to me "Fred, I think that bloke is eyeing us up" I did my best to turn around and take a look, all casual like, and this fit bloke was just staring at us. Do I recognise this man in this court? Yes it's him over there, the defendant.

So he kinda sauntered over all casual and pulled a chair out, turning it round to straddle it and rest his arms on the back. I could see he was excited. Yes I mean sexually turned on, sorry, yes. He was in a suit and the trousers were tight but you could see he was turned on.

We talked for a bit. Flirting, yes Brett and I are a couple but we are open. Sorry, yes that means we meet other men. As long as we meet as a couple and don't cheat behind each others back it works out for us, and Joe was lovely. I could tell he was built well, he's a huge guy, but no I didn't know who he was or his profession. We both fancied him and it was obvious what was on offer. He said he was staying at the hotel around the corner and when the bar closed did we want to join him in his room. We jumped at the chance and had a few more drinks. Well, a lot more drinks to be honest with you. He was really flirty and funny and we both really liked him. It was only when we got to his room did it all change.

**************


"Ok. Now" Joe said

Brett grasped the shirt Freddie was wearing and tore it open. Buttons flew and fabric ripped as the shirt ripped exposing a smooth sculpted chest. A small defined six pack straddled his mid section beneath the two defined pectorals.
Brett wrestled the shirt off Freddie the arms ripping along the seam as he yanked and tugged at the thin fabric. It ripped easily, ribbons of blue fluttering to the floor as it was destroyed. Brett tossed the remainder aside and looked back to Joe for the next instruction.

"Good lad, now his trousers"

"Yes sir!" Brett barked and turned to Fred, gripping a trouser pocket in each hand. He violently pulled, and the fabric, held firm for a few seconds before relenting, tearing and peeling down, the fabric gaping revealing the younger man's pale but toned legs. Brett flung the rags aside then wrestled the waistband free leaving his colleague stood in just his boxers.

"Wreck his boxers" commanded Joe, massaging the front of his own trousers as he enjoyed the show.

"Sir!" Brett answered. He knelt in front of this colleague and adjusted his position to allow Joe to see the next part of his session. Brett gripped the fly of the boxer shorts and ripped them open. Fred's cock flopped down, flaccid but large, crowned with a corona of trimmed light brown hair. Brett strained to break the waist band and twisted his hands back and forth to break the fabric. Within moments Freddie was naked. Standing still. Arms by his side facing his client.

"Good, good, now Freddie do the same to Brett" Joe ordered. He had released his own penis from his fly and was massaging it slowly, enjoying the feeling as he watched the show unfurl

"Yes sir" Freddie barked and jumped into action tearing at Brett's clothes. Strips of shirt, trousers and underwear tossed to the floor as Brett was slowly uncovered before both men stood to attention, hands behind their backs as Joe took in the naked pair. Brett was naturally larger than Freddie, his darker skin in contrast to the paler Freddie. With no pubic hair, having shaved that morning, Brett's cock looked larger than Freddie's but Joe surmised they were pretty equal in length and girth. Brett had the more muscular build, but Freddie has more defined. They looked good. Big GH had done well providing these two. Better than usual. The speed of Joe's masturbation increased.

"Ok Freddie get one of the custard pies and pie Brett in the face"

Freddie turned to a row of custard pies lined up on the dressing table. The sound of plastic crinkled beneath his feet as he returned to Brett. Without uttering a word he raised the pie and slapped it into his colleagues face. Custard sprung out over Brett's hair with slops of the yellow oozing down onto his bare chest. It pattered to the floor onto the plastic protecting the hotel carpet.

"Nice" Joe breathed, "now suck his cock". Joes hand massaged his own penis, standing proud from the fly of his trousers

Freddie immediately dropped to his knees and took Brett into his mouth. His colleagues penis finally jumping into life as a service that was more the norm was resumed. Freddie moved his mouth back and forward massaging the length with his tongue, his lips retracting the foreskin. Brett rocked his hips, joining the rhythm. Finally he was fully erect.

"Brett, pour custard over Fred's head as he sucks you" Joe said, his breath labouring as the sight before him fired him up

Brett reached around behind him to grasp a carton of custard. It has been opened by Joe during the room set up, so there was little hesitation and delay as Brett acquiesced to his clients demands and poured the custard over Fred's head as he continued to suck him. The custard flattened his fair, running down his face, coating his skin and the cock he was sucking enthusiastically. He let out a sigh of desire he thought Joe would want to hear as he scooped up the custard from the floor, whilst still pleasuring Brett and wiped it over his colleagues legs, chest and belly.

"Oh fuck yeah" Joe breathed, his own speed of breath matching the quickening pace of his hand, "Good lad. Now Brett, fuck him"

Brett immediately withdrew his cock from Fred's mouth and spun him round, kicking his legs wide, exposing his hole to his customer. Brett reached to the floor and scooped up handfuls of custard and slammed it into Fred's ass, coating his buttocks and the fine hairs around his hole with a sheen of yellow. Kneeling himself, he guided his cock towards the hole rubbing the rim with the head of his cock, adjusting his body to afford Joe a better view as he pushed gently forward, his shaft disappearing inch by inch into his colleague. Fred and Joe both let out sighs as Joe watched Fred relax, accommodating and welcoming in Brett.

Joe sprang to his feet, abandoning his trousers as he moved towards the sex workers, his own penis pointing the way. He grasped a pie in each hand and slammed one into each side of Brett's face as he pumped. Custard ran down his chest and joined the mess around his cock acting as lube as he penetrated and retracted. Each thrust eliciting a sigh or gasp from Fred

Cartons of custard were emptied over the heads of both guys, with Joe massaging the mess into the chest, pits, ass and cocks of them both, reaching around and under to cover Fred's cock as he remained on all fours, before encircling his hand around Brett's cock as he pounded back and forth, massaging in the custard.

Joe could sense Brett nearing climax. His breath was becoming deeper and quicker with the thrusts more aggressive.

"Don't come inside him, come over his face" Joe ordered, his own breath short and laboured.
Brett retracted and spun Freddie round so his face was directly in line with his cock. It only took a few more fist pumps and he released. Jets of hot come sprang from him landing in streaks across his face. The warmth a contrast to the coolness of the custard. Freddie felt each ejaculate becoming less forceful and loaded with each spasm. As they died out they were replaced by new jets, from a different angle, strong, virulent as each eruption yielded a fresh delivery. He opened his eyes, and through custard and sperm coated lashes, saw Joe squeezing out the last drops of come from his own penis, the final denouement to the session.


*********************************

Freddie.

And that's when I started to feel woozy, after we went back to his room. We'd had a lot to drink but not so much I'd lose that much control. I think my drinks were spiked. I can't say if it was Joe, I didn't see him do it but seems coincidental doesn't it?

I can't remember much. I kept coming in and out of consciousness but I remember feeling my clothes being ripped. I felt colder all of a sudden and came to, to see I was naked. Brett was too and Joe was stood over us groping us. I could feel his hands all over me. He was really rough, not at all like he was in the bar.

Thank you, thanks for the tissue, I'm sorry, this is hard for me.

Give me a sec.

Yes, thanks. No, no. I'm ok. Just wanna get through this, yes I'm fine, no let's keep going.

Brett was more awake than me, and Joe forced Brett to suck me. I wasn't hard, I was too out of it but I remember seeing Joe force Brett's head to my groin. I was so scared. I didn't know what would happen.

No, I'm ok, honestly, thank you.

He's such a big guy I felt it best to just do what he wanted. I could feel him forcing his fingers into me, yes, my anus. I'm sorry, yes I'm ok, just give me a sec. Rough, he was so rough. I can feel the pain, even now.

I lost consciousness again and the next thing I know he's yelling at us to go. I don't know what happened in between.

How did I get home, if he'd ripped my clothes up? Me and Brett had been to the gym before we went to the bar. We had our gym bags. The stuff was sweaty but we dressed as quickly as we could and got out of there.

No, you're right, I didn't think anyone would believe us. Yes it was obvious that something had gone on but we had no proof. We are gay men, our friends know we are in an open relationship so if we'd called the police they'd think it was just a meet gone wrong. He's kind of famous being a rugby player who would believe us. It broke me and Brett up though, it didn't feel the same after this. I think that's why Brett went and reported him in the end. He'd had enough.

No, I don't really have anything else to say apart from I hope he gets what's coming to him.

****************************

"So how long have you known the accused?" The prosecution asked, standing at his desk looking towards the witness box"

"Um, must be what? Four years now," Sam said, his suit tight across the chest, the Windsor knotted tie neat and tucked into the blue suit jacket, his hair, blond, neat and styled , "he came to the club from another local side. I've been his captain since he joined."

"And how would you describe him?"

"A solid player, one of the best flankers I've played with, big heart, pretty quiet off the pitch, doesn't give too much away I suppose"

"And in the four years did he ever disclose his sexuality?"

"No, why would he?" Sam said his forehead crinkled incredulously, "Who he chooses to sleep with has nothing to do with me. To be honest I couldn't really care less who he is attracted to"

"But you can accept he is adept at keeping secrets?" The prosecutor said, a thin smile creeping across his lips. He raised one eyebrow as he ended his question

Sam took a beat to order his thoughts, "I don't think that not announcing your sexuality is a keeping of a secret" he said, carefully.

"Indeed, indeed" the prosecution replied crossing the floor of the court to lean one hand on the side of the witness box, "but keeping a secret that led you to ultimately feature in a production called Rugby Rumble would constitute him withholding information that had you known, may have altered your actions, would it not?" His grin spread wider, the trap set and triggered

Sam leant in towards the barrister, looking at him dead in the eye. His voice was low, steady "No not at all"

The barrister wheeled away spinning towards the jury, "Come, come" he cried spinning back to face Sam, who stood seething, "you seriously expect the jury to believe that had you known the person behind arranging and encouraging the whole production was the accused you would have gone ahead?"

"Yes" firmly replied Sam. A small tick of a vessel pulsated in his neck, betraying his anger.

"You are a heterosexual man, Mr Richards ?"

"I am, yes"

The prosecutor returned to the side of the witness box, both hands on the side rail, "Perhaps you would like to enlighten the court, of the content of the video?"

If the prosecution was expecting Sam to falter when asked to explain the production they were wrong.

"Rugby Rumble was a professionally designed and produced erotic video for a niche market," Sam said clearly, defiantly, "it was a spoof game show where contestants played games to win points. The losing side pledged a forfeit in the shape of their team representatives, namely members of my rugby team who were gunged, pied, sometimes clothed sometimes naked " his voice was level strong, factual, totally in control.

"Very eloquently put, very eloquent" the barrister said returning to his desk, "allow me to describe the background for the courts consideration, to put some flesh on these bones, as it were"
He picked up a file of notes, thumbing through them to find relevant passages, "according to our interviews conducted it would appear the accused was privy to the considerable financial difficulties facing your rugby club and used that knowledge to approach a pornographic company to offer up his team, his colleague's, as stooges to satisfy his own sexual gratification and chose not to disclose this to you, his team captain of all people, of his involvement. Indeed he attended pre production meetings and once satisfied that several of his team would be involved removed himself from the process, declining to appear himself. Is this fair Mr Richards?"

Sam's jaw tightened, he could feel the net closing, the direction of travel was prosecution was driving this. It was relentless. "He suffered an injury, his leg was in plaster" he growled through gritted teeth

"But is the assumption a fair one Mr Richards?" He said. Triumphant.

"Yes, I suppose it is" whispered Sam.

"And this culminated in you, a heterosexual man, completely naked, masturbating and ejaculating on a video seen and no doubt shared by countless fans of this genre of pornography. All of this propagated, controlled and instigated by the accused for his own sexual gratification"

He didn't pose this as a question, not inviting Sam to respond. He let it hang there, the dirty washing of the accused, for all to see.

After a few seconds where he ran his gaze along the jury box, "No further questions, your honour"


*********************

"Would you consider Mr Thomas a friend?" Archer asked Sam. The captains turn to face examination by the defence.

"Very much so, yes".

"My learned friend would have us believe that you are a victim, hoodwinked by the accused into appearing in a video merely for his own sexual gratification" Archer suggested

"Well, he's wrong" Sam said immediately "I've known Joe years now, he's genuinely one of the nicest guys in the game. Literally not a bad bone in his body. I totally disagree with the suggestion"

"How long have you been the captain of the club?"

"A couple of years, maybe a bit longer"

"How did this video Rugby Rumble come about and what was your role in it?"

"Well" said Sam running his fingers through his hair, "where do I start". Sam smiled aware of the content of the video and how to explain it in a court setting, "The owner and I had a meeting to discuss the financial issues in the club. Within a week he called another meeting to say a production company for an adult film company was keen to use some of the lads in a production"

"So, basic pornography?" Archer enquired.

"No, it was for a niche market, gunging it's called. You know. Slapstick, pies etcetera. As it was porn there would be a need for nudity through most of it" Sam kept his eyes on Archer, reciting matter of factly, as if discussing a mundane topic.

"I see, and you were keen to take part?"

Sam shrugged, "Not overly, I hadn't ever considered a career in the sex industry. Not sure my wife would approve" he smiled.

"Indeed" Archer said, smiling back. "Not a conversation that is natural or easy. So why did you appear?"

"Well, the club was in danger. We had to do something otherwise the club would collapse. We had a group meeting with the lads and decided that we had done a nude calendar a few years earlier so this wasn't that much different" He took a sip of water, "A few were up for it, we have some, characters, you could say, but as captain I felt I couldn't sit back and let them do it. I had to take part as well. Any good captain would lead from the front"

"The prosecution went to lengths to paint a scene where you masturbate to ejaculation as example of how you had been manipulated by the defendant"

"No, not at all" Sam said immediately, "it was my choice. If anything the production company explained the financial benefit of doing that section. It would raise more views and more money. And also Mark, one of the other players was keen to do it. He's, how shall I put it, not shy"

A ripple of laughter broke out as Archer spoke above it, "So again as captain you didn't want Mark to be doing that alone"

"Well another guy doing that next right to you may not actually help, but for moral support, yes. I felt it important that Mark wasn't alone in doing that section. So I felt it the right thing to do, to also do it myself."

"Very commendable" Archer said, then changed tact, "Would you say your role extends beyond the sphere of rugby, as a captain, do you consider yourself to have pastoral care duties for your players?" Archer asked, his voice calm, conciliatory.

"Yes of course"

"As part of your role, what observations do you have of the accused?" he said, gesturing towards Joe sat in the box resolutely staring forward, "that may shed more light on this case"

"Well Joe came to me soon after the film was released. He couldn't hold it in that it was he who contacted the production company. The owner and myself had been ruminating who had made contact, as neither of us had and it was becoming a bit of a topic among the players"

"So he outed himself?"

"Yes we had no idea he was gay, it makes no difference of course. One of my other players came out as gay shortly after the filming, so I suppose that helped Joe. He, Chris, had been accepted straight away so we knew there would be no problem with Joe coming out" Sam said, glancing towards his player sat in the dock. For a brief second Joe made eye contact and Sam smiled, a shallow nod sending encouragement

"So why the hesitancy?"

"I spoke with Joe at length. He felt it was a double whammy, for the team to swallow. First, he's gay, and then he's into this sploshing stuff. The lads had accepted Chris straight away as gay, but Joe didn't think his kink would be accepted, it may be a step too far"

"And was it, a step too far?"

Sam smiled. Glancing briefly at Joe again then back to Archer. "No, the lads were fine with it. Look, we are rugby lads, the things you read about, the wild nights out, the hazing, and the like, well they are mostly true. A bit of custard thrown around is mild to some stuff that goes on" Sam said and laughed. He caught a few smiles from the jury.

"I can imagine, but we'll leave that to one side" Archer said returning the smile, "the prosecution has painted the accused as a manipulative, cunning and disingenuous man hell bent on satisfying his sexual gratification even if that means your life being negatively affected by the video you appeared in. Do you recognise this character?"

"No not at all. After it all came out we had plenty of chats over beers. Joe was worried about the social media reaction to the video, and how it would affect the players who appeared, but it's been in the main very positive. It saved the club financially, helped one guy, Mark discover himself, two guys have now come out as gay as a result and I have never had so much fan mail in my life!" Sam said, to a ripple of laughter from jurors, and the public gallery. Even the judge semi smiled as he made notes

Sam's eyes shone with merriment as he continued, "if anything it loosened Joe up. He opened up about his childhood, struggling with his gay feelings as a teenager, repressed by an overbearing religious family. Sex in general was dirty, man on man sex abhorrent. It drove Joe's sexual growth underground. It was held down and repressed but came out as this kink. His mind was conditioned to consider gay sex as wrong but the urge is primeval and strong so it just manifests its way out in anyway it can. Some men get fixated on say, crossdressing, S and M, it's their way of expressing something deep inside that's been shaping their sexual growth but it's bent into these shapes as society can't or don't accept people for who or what they are"

Archer stood still, hands in his lapels, allowing the words to settle before continuing, "You sound like very deep thinking man"

"No," Sam replied, "Joe has had counselling since all this happened. This is the stuff he's been discussing with his counsellor. These are his words not mine. I'm just a thick rugby player after all".

Again the court joined Sam in gentle laughter.

Archer smiled. "No more questions, your honour"



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