Former AFC Fylde manager James Rowe allegedly moved masseuse's hand 'on to his genitals', court hears

The assault is said to have happened when James Rowe, 41, requested a “back massage” at a private salon on November 24, 2021, Derby Crown Court heard.

The former AFC Fylde manager is said to have exposed his penis while on the massage bed after asking the woman if she was wearing 'Frenchies or a thong?' underwear.

He is then said to have put her hand on his penis before pulling at the waistband of her trousers to look at her tattoo and trying to undo her tunic to have a look at her “massive t**ts”, the court heard on Monday.

Rowe, of Blind Lane, Breaston, is on trial accused of sexual assault which he denies.

Gurdial Singh, prosecuting, told the court that at the time of the alleged attack in November 2021, Chesterfield FC were “flying high” and “in prime position for a play off place”.

Prior to attending, the court heard he sent a text asking what she was wearing and she explained she was in a uniform.

Mr Singh said: “It was clear that wasn’t what he was asking about as he said "Frenches or a thong?" in reference to her underwear.”

The masseuse ignored the message, “determined to be professional”, said the barrister.

Join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news and top stories from across Lancashire directly to your phone

After asking him to come to the salon where she was based, Rowe asked if “anyone would recognise him” she told him no, said Mr Singh.

When Rowe arrived on November 24, he is said to have told the masseuse “it was his groin that needed attention”, Mr Singh said.

The barrister added: “Had she known she never would have agreed.

“She was panicking but was determined to be professional and told him to get on the massage bed.

“He got his penis out and tried to hit her hand with it, he then took hold of her hand and tried to put it on it.”

"She kept saying ‘no’ and he kept saying ‘come on, come on’.

“She took hold of his pants and pulled them over his exposed penis. It's clear his penis did make contact with her hand and her fingers made contact with his penis.”

After leaving the room upset, when colleagues asked the masseuse “what’s wrong” she couldn’t bring herself to tell them, the court heard.

However, when the masseuse returned to the room, Rowe wanted her to sit on a stool at the height of his penis “for obvious reasons”, Mr Singh said.

The barrister said: “He then kept putting his hand on the inside of her leg, she kept removing it and putting it back on the bed.

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with The Gazette’s free emails

"He then said he wanted to look at her tattoo and pulled at the waistband of her trousers to get a look.

“He also tried to undo her tunic to have a look at her breasts, saying ‘go on, let me just see your t**s. You’ve got massive t**ts.’”

The court heard the masseuse later told her colleagues what had happened.

She also told a client who reported the alleged incident a few weeks later in December.

While the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was on the witness stand on Tuesday, the complainant was quizzed by defence barrister Peter Eguae about a number of text messages between herself and a friend which discussed Mr Rowe.

Several from the complainant’s friend read “he would be a lovely catch, I’m already envisaging you as the new Posh and Becks” and “I have high hopes”, while the complainant replied included “ha, ha, ha, he could be a total s**g” and “let’s play this easy, he might even be married”.

Another message from the masseuse read: “I’m going to play it professionally. He can wait if he wants anything else – keep him keen, etc.”

Get the latest headlines, straight to your inbox, with The LEP’s free emails

Speaking about the messages, Mr Eguae told the complainant: “You and your friend are envisaging a relationship with you and Mr Rowe.

“You were contemplating more to the relationship.”

A jury has heard that in the lead-up to the November 24 massage, Rowe sent the woman a “flurry” of “flirty” Whatsapp messages the evening before.

The complainant claims that after she told Rowe his advances were not wanted, before he left the premises on November 24, he made her delete all of the messages between them from her phone.

Defence barrister Mr Eguae told the woman she was “categorically lying” about the Whatsapp conversation between her and Mr Rowe on November 23 because the same evening Rowe was at Chesterfield’s SMH Group Stadium for a match with Altrincham FC.

He said: “I suggest to you during the evening of November 23 you were not in message communications with Mr Rowe.

“I suggest the reason is Mr Rowe was standing on the touchline of Chesterfield FC as they played Altrincham.”

"You’re wrong,” said the complainant, adding: “I sent him a message saying ‘please keep it professional’”.

Mr Eguae told the complainant he believed that while massaging the top of Rowe’s thigh she had touched his privates, causing the manager to become “aroused”.

He said: “I suggest he didn’t stop you from doing what you were doing – I suggest you pulled his briefs down.”

“You’re wrong”, said the complainant.

The barrister told her after this she had then given Rowe oral sex before a noise outside the room brought the encounter to an end and caused Rowe to “pull his boxer shorts up”.

Rowe played for a number of different football clubs between 2001 to 2013, including Ilkeston Town, Grantham Town and Stamford.

He became manager of the National League side Chesterfield in November 2020.

In early January, following a third round FA Cup game between Chelsea and Chesterfield, Rowe was suspended from the Derbyshire football club.

After his arrest Rowe made no comment to all questions asked of him, the court heard.

He was then hired by AFC Fylde, a team now in the National League, in March 2022 but resigned six months later when he was charged.

The trial continues.