A retired former detective accused of sexually assaulting a woman with a sex toy today told a jury: “It’s all lies.”

Claudine Binns, 52, a former detective inspector with West Yorkshire Police who worked in Bradford, denies assault by penetration and attempted assault by penetration.

Giving evidence at Bradford Crown Court, Miss Binns told defence barrister Rhodri James that she was “devastated” on being arrested in 2022.

She added: “I have not stopped feeling devastated for the past four years.”

Asked by Mr James if there was any truth in the allegations, Miss Binns replied: “None whatsoever.”

She described the allegations as “complete lies”, “malicious”, and “purely financially motivated” as a result of money she was due to receive.

She said the allegations had been made “through spite”.

The court heard that Miss Binns was a woman of previous good character who joined the police in 1990 and retired in 2022 following a 32-year career.

In the run-up to her retirement, she was on leave suffering from a painful injury to her shoulder following a car crash and also under stress due to the nature of her job.

That involved dealing with a large number of child deaths, which she described as “some horrific stuff”.

Of the specific allegations made against her, Miss Binns said she and the complainant had had consensual sex and that allegations of anything else occurring were “complete lies”.

She said the sex toy alleged to have been used in the assault was found during a police search of her home in Kirklees after she had been arrested.

Character references provided by former police colleagues of Miss Binns mentioned her numerous commendations, including a chief constable’s commendation.

One former colleague described her as “one of the finest human beings I have met”.

Another said: “I have trusted Claudine with my life in some situations.”

Another said she was “a person of integrity, empathy, and compassion.”

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Philip Standfast, Miss Binns denied giving the complainant anything other than unadulterated food and drink – a reference to a previous suggestion that she may have been plied with a date rape drug.

Mr Standfast asked: “Did you ever spike her drink or her food?”

Miss Binns replied: “The suggestion that I have done that is absolutely ridiculous.

“My house was searched with a drugs dog, and I was drug-tested.

“There were no drugs found.”

She added: “I believe that it’s just lies to try and bolster the case.”

Miss Binns said there was “nothing memorable” about the weekend when the alleged offences are said to have taken place.

She rejected Mr Standfast’s suggestion that said the complainant had told her not to use sex toys that had previously been used on other women, and that a discussion about alternative forms of sex had never happened.

Addressing the question of whether she used the sex toy to penetrate the complainant against her wishes, Miss Binns said: “It’s all lies.”

Asked why she did not tell police in an interview about using the sex toy until forensic testing revealed the presence of the complainant’s DNA on it, Miss Binns said she had given a detailed account in a prepared statement that outlined consensual sex had taken place between them.

She denied avoiding questions and said: “I had already said that … and that I denied the allegations.”

Mr Standfast added: “It’s not [the complainant] that is telling lies in this case. It is you, Miss Binns, is it not?”

Miss Binns replied: “No, that’s not true.”

The trial continues.