Policewoman 'threw face cream at girlfriend and grabbed her by throat'

A 'possessive' policewoman threw a pot of face cream at her girlfriend and grabbed her by the throat before telling her 'I'm with the police, they won't believe you' when she threatened to report her, a court heard.

Allegations made at Bournemouth Crown Court detail how Louise Farrant, 53, had a volatile relationship with partner Sarah Rutter which grew 'increasingly abusive'.

The pair moved in together in January 2021 and Farrant is accused of engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour between June 2020 and May 2023.

Farrant and Rutter met through a dating site in mid-2020 and the relationship progressed quickly.

The string of offences detailed in court include not following Covid regulations in 2020, grabbing her girlfriend by the arm in 2021 and throwing a pot of face cream at her in 2022.

Despite the allegations, Hampshire Police have confirmed Farrant is still a serving PC but currently on directed duties.

When the couple separated in May 2023, Farrant was said to have deliberately parked her BMW in front of Miss Rutter's Seat car before getting out and kicking the door and trying to break the windscreen.

Miss Rutter drove off and collided with the BMW in a desperate attempt to get away before calling the police, the jury heard.

Giving evidence on all the allegations, Miss Rutter said: 'It was around my birthday in November she caught Covid. She wanted to come see me for my birthday and I said no I don't want you here. She didn't follow the rules that were going on. We had an argument about it but I just thought it was a little hiccup.

'We had hiccups every month, towards the end of the month you could tell something was up, Lou's face would change. It tied with PMS and going through the menopause.

'She belittled me, spoke over me, if we were arguing she wouldn't let me speak. She would follow me around the house, screaming and shouting at me.

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'But every time she would say "it won't happen again, I will get help". She would buy me new trainers to apologise.

'It's really hard when you're in that position, I believed everything she said. She said "I'm going to change, I'm going to get help".'

Alun Evans, prosecuting, said: 'Arguments between them started early on, none the less they moved in together.

'The problems started as verbal arguments but would become increasingly abusive with the defendant throwing objects around the house.

'It would begin as disagreements about minor things, but the defendant turned to aggression and anger. When Miss Rutter tried to get away Miss Farrant was in the habit of following her around and continually arguing.

'In 2021 there was an incident where she grabbed her by the arm and threw her out of the house, despite the fact they shared the tenancy.

'When Miss Rutter threatened to call the police, her reaction was the police would not believe what she was saying as she was a serving police officer.. Because of this and other comments she didn't report the behaviour at the time.'

In April 2022, Farrant broke the door handle getting into Miss Rutter's room, tipped all her belongings out of a bag and threw several items at her, with a pot of face cream hitting her and splitting her lip, it is alleged.

Farrant, from Fareham, Hants, denies the charges. The trial continues.