'He gave me free riding lessons in exchange for sex'

A horse-riding instructor accused of sexually abusing a child gave a showjumper free lessons in return for sex, a court has heard.

- BRYANA FRANCIS Reporter

Showjumper Lauren Jarvis told a court they had a sexual relationship for several months but that it made her “uncomfortable”.

Guy Simmonds, 37 - who ran a riding school in the Monmouthshire village of Undy - is standing trial at Cardiff Crown Court accused of six counts of engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged under 16, which he denies. His co-defendant, Jarvis, 26, denies one count of the same offence.

On Thursday, a jury heard evidence from Jarvis in which she maintained that she never engaged in sexual activity with Simmonds and the underage girl together, but that she and the girl individually had sex with Simmonds on the night of the alleged incident.

The 26-year-old did, however, maintain that the relationship with her co-defendant made her “really uncomfortable” and that she only continued with the agreement because she was scared of Simmonds.

A jury heard that Jarvis first met Simmonds in 2021 and on August 13 of that year had a riding lesson with him at his yard. She said he was “quite flirty” and that when she was riding her horse, Tilly, he said: “I wish you would ride me like you ride your horses.”

After the lesson, Jarvis said Simmonds messaged her on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp in a flirty way and was trying to get her to send him “inappropriate images” while she was in a relationship.