A former studio head at Universal Music was cleared today of sexually assaulting a brand designer after walking her home following an evening’s drinking at his workplace local.
Dave Pollard, 56, was running The Engine Room – a recording studio he also designed – located at the entertainment giant’s Holland Park HQ, near the popular pub.
Married Pollard, of Dorking, Surrey, always insisted the act was consensual and an Isleworth Crown Court jury unanimously agreed.
Dave Pollard, 56, was cleared of sexually assaulting a brand designer after walking her home
He was found not guilty of one count of assault by penetration on January 14, last year at the 43 year-old designer’s studio flat.
The trial heard the woman had approximately six glasses of white wine at the Crown and Sceptre pub in Holland Road and took home another bottle from the pub, sharing a glass with Pollard at the flat.
She said she agreed to an innocent sleepover, assuming Pollard would remain on her couch, insisting there was no sexual attraction.
“I see him as a safer, older man. He’s hideous to look at, there’s no sexual attraction. He’s massive, like a beast, like Shrek,” she told the court.
However, Pollard says the woman allowed him to massage her feet in the flat, claiming she also sat on his lap with her arms around him.
When questioned by police Pollard insisted the blonde-haired woman was the instigator, said prosecutor David Jenkins.
“He mentioned everything that happened was consensual and that she agreed and made the running and took her knickers off and pulled his head to her pelvis and made appreciative noises,” he told the court.
The complainant disputed this and said she was suddenly woken at 6.20am by Pollard committing the sex act.
She said: “I was asleep, had a weird sensation and thought: ‘What the hell?’ He said something to the effect of: ‘You tasted f***ing amazing.’
“I was disgusted, I was absolutely horrified. Coming out with a remark like that was revolting.
“To wake up to that experience is horrific. He is someone I’ve never flirted with or found physically attractive and he’s taken that opportunity while I was asleep to assault me.”
The brand designer accused Mr Pollard of a ‘horrific’ sexual assault and described him as looking like ‘Shrek’ in court, also describing him as ‘massive’ and a ‘beast’
She denied allowing him to unzip her dress, kissing him in her bed and directing the sex act.
“That’s an absolute lie, an out and out lie,” she told the jury.
She also denied kissing and hugging Pollard as he left, with the defendant thanking her for a pleasant evening.
Three days later she reported Pollard to the police and he was questioned on February 18.
Universal Music has said that Pollard stopped working at The Engine Room last year.