The court hears that a Scottish aristocrat sexually attacked a woman at a stately estate during his cocaine-fueled 36th birthday party.
At Glen House near Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Euan Tennant, 39, is said to have assaulted the woman as they slept with a second woman.
The woman in her mid-20s claimed she was invited to Tennant’s birthday party. She fled the 20-bedroom mansion the following morning and called the police.
Yesterday, a court heard that a Scottish aristocracy sexually attacked a lady during a drug-fueled birthday celebration at his estate.
At Glen House near Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Euan Tennant, 39, is alleged to have assaulted the victim while the two were in bed with a third woman.
The lady, whose identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons, told a jury at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday that a nude Tennant began massaging her leg before committing sexual assault. He rejects the alleged sexual assault, stating that their sexual interaction was consensual.
The woman in her mid-twenties presented her testimony from behind a screen. She stated that a female acquaintance had invited her to attend a two-day gathering celebrating Tennant’s 36th birthday. Since university, her companion had been tight with the nobleman, but she had never met him before. She described how, on the second evening, the two women and Tennant withdrew to their spacious bedroom. Tennant and the other woman ingested quantities of cocaine while Tennant and the other woman conversed for around 90 minutes.
At Glen House near Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Euan Tennant, 39, is said to have assaulted the woman as they slept with a second woman.
Tennant asked if he might spend the night, initially proposing to sleep on top of the covers of the ‘big four-poster bed,’ but subsequently removing his pants and climbing into bed beside them.
The woman stated that she believed he would not harm her. She told the jurors, “I was virtually in a foetal position while facing [my friend].” Within a few minutes of turning out the lights, I could feel Euan’s finger lightly brushing and stroking my knee.
I did nothing in the hopes that he would stop and remove his hands.
Then, he placed his hand on her leg. She said, “I was simply wondering what the hell he was doing.” I remained silent because I didn’t want [my friend] to know what he was doing. It was incredibly personal and moving. I remained as still as possible and pretended to be asleep in the hopes that he would stop, but he did not.
The woman claims he then intimately touched her over her underpants. She “froze” from fright.
Her pal awoke and left for the restroom, leaving her and her companion alone. She reported that Tennant apologized if he had offended her. After her friend returned to sleep, the assault continued.
The woman stated that she afterwards departed the bedroom in tears and told her friend about the incident. Later that morning, the couple departed the 20-bedroom mansion from the 19th century in a taxi, and she alerted the police.
The woman vehemently disputed to Tennant’s defense attorney Victoria Young that she had consented to sexual contact during the July 27, 2019 event.
The trial continues before Sheriff Kenneth Campbell, QC.
In July of 2018, Tennant, a self-described electrician who lives on the Glen estate, inherited the mansion.