The husband of former British tennis number one Anne Keothavong denied he played Guns N’ Roses on a silver boombox before raping a woman.
Andrew Bretherton, 49, who is married to the tennis star, told jurors he had never owned a silver boombox and dismissed much of the alleged victim’s testimony as untrue.
The corporate attorney and his alleged victim went to the defendant’s upscale Kensington home after a romantic date in May 2008.
There, the American claimed she was raped and sustained devastating injuries after being pinned face down on the bed and nearly suffocating.
Mr Bretherton told jurors Ms Keothavong, with whom he has two young children, supported him throughout the trial.
The husband of former British tennis number one Anne Keothavong, Andrew Bretherton (pictured), is accused of raping a woman at his flat after a romantic date in 2008. Bretherton denies the allegations
The woman told Inner London Crown Court how she returned to Bretherton’s flat where he raped her.
After kissing her and leading her into the bedroom, the woman claimed Bretherton had “started to get more confident,” “very handy,” and “to go hunting,” as he got up and carried a 1980s or 1990s tape player out and turned on Welcome to the Jungle of Guns N’ Roses.
However, when Bretherton commented today, he denied ever owning a boombox.
He told jurors “this was the worst week of his life” and listened to “lies” told about him that have destroyed his once lucrative career since he was first accused of rape in 2019.
Bretherton said the first he heard of the woman’s allegation was on January 3, 2019, nearly 11 years after the night at his home in May 2008.
The alleged victim also described Bretherton’s “clean and sterile, empty” apartment with a refrigerator that contained nothing but sparkling water, only for Bretherton to tell the court today that he doesn’t like sparkling water.
The woman had claimed Bretherton gave her a glass when they arrived at the flat.
Father-of-two Bretherton appeared emotional and struggled to speak as he entered the stand and looked up at his father in the viewing gallery when asked questions about his Lancashire childhood.
When asked by his defense attorney, Sarah Forshaw KC, if he likes sparkling water, she added, “You either like it or you don’t.”
Bretherton said, “I never bought sparkling water.”
During questioning, the attorney told the court he did not remember many details of the evening but dismissed most of the woman’s claims.
He said they had dinner dates twice and spent evenings together – one with his friends, one with hers.
He said: “I remember going into the bedroom with her, which was totally consensual, and started kissing and touching and undressing in bed.
“I remember her doing her underwear, I think we both did.
“The dimmer was on low, I remember she asked for the lights to be turned down. My recollection is that we both had our underwear on.
“There was a small bedside table with a lamp, we continued to kiss and touch.”
When asked if he remembered what the woman was wearing, he said, “I remember she was wearing a thong because it had silver bits in the front.”
Ms Forshaw asked him: “She claims her top never came off, is that true or not?”
Bretherton replied: “I remember her bra was off. When we got to intercourse, we were both naked.”
Bretherton told Inner London Crown Court that the sex was “entirely consensual”. Pictured: Bretherton with his tennis star wife Anne Keothavong in 2019
He insisted his wife, tennis champion Anne Keothavong, had been supportive throughout and even amid accusations their marriage had remained strong.
When asked if his wife had stood by him since the allegation, he said, “Yes.”
He said that when it emerged he would be charged he informed his employer and the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
He was suspended, then handed in his resignation, saying he’s struggled to find work ever since.
Bretherton, who denies two counts of rape, will continue to testify at Inner London Crown Court when the trial resumes on Monday.
Earlier today Inner London Crown Court was told the sex was “entirely consensual”.
In police interviews read to the court, Bretherton denied the allegations, saying: “100 per cent, 100 per cent, it was completely consensual. I was raised to respect women.’
In the Jan. 15, 2019 interview, 12 days after being informed of the allegation, he added: “It would have been consensual, there was no way I was forcing her to do anything she didn’t want to do.”
Regarding what happened in the apartment, he said: “I think I helped her take off her underwear.
“She said she wanted to turn off the parking lights.”
After describing them sitting naked on the bed, he said: “Then I remember she was on all fours on the bed.
“I remember it was completely consensual, but we started having sex.”
When asked about the alleged rape, Bretherton said: “I think there was an impact. So she reacted.
“It was embarrassing, I don’t really remember her saying anything except for you to get dressed.”
The alleged victim then left the apartment and Bretherton said: “We didn’t really speak to each other after that.”
When asked by the police officer if he ever told anyone about the incident, he said, “I was embarrassed.”
Prosecutor Brian O’Neill KC, reading about the date from the police interview, told court today (FRI): “From what I remember it would have been quite funny, it was quite flamboyant and dramatic.
“She obviously made an impression on me in how she projected herself.”
In police interviews read to the court, Bretherton (pictured) denied the allegations, saying: “100 per cent, 100 per cent, it was totally consensual. I was raised to respect women
The alleged victim has claimed they went on four dates, but Bretherton only remembers two, one at a steak restaurant and the second at Devonshire Arms, “a few minutes” from his home – the night of the alleged rapes.
He told the clerk, “I remember at least two dates, I don’t remember the details of the other dates, the steak place may have been the first but it was a long time ago.”
The court was also previously told that the alleged victim had asked the CPS to reimburse her between $1,000 and $1,500 for flights to attend the hearing, as well as $2,000 and an additional $3,000 for further housing and transportation.
In an email, she said: “In terms of reimbursement, I need $1,000-$1,500 round trip (I’m assuming you don’t cover business class) and $2,000-$3,000 for that Accommodation for two to three weeks plus utilities (taxi to and from court, and knowing about transportation, meals, food and drink allowances per day.)”
Later that day, the alleged victim emailed the same person to say, “Nobody at CPS has contacted me regarding reimbursement of travel expenses or any restrictions on travel expenses.”
The jury was told they were evasive in producing medical and therapy records and accused prosecutors of racketeering because they insisted they had to produce the records to stand a chance in court and insisted that they order their anonymity and security was concerned.
She saw a therapist regularly before and after the alleged rape, but records were only provided between January 1 and May 30, 2008.
On January 21, 2021, the woman’s therapist responded to the CPS’s request for her records by stating, “Due to a 2020 downsizing, all other records were destroyed.”
Medical reports revealed that the alleged victim had a tear on the outside of her anus and a bruise on her thigh.
A sex crimes expert employed by Bretherton’s defense said: “The injury in this case is a small tear, although it can be very symptomatic.”
After describing the possible pain of a small anal fissure, he said, “The tear in this case could have been caused by consensual and non-consensual intercourse.”