A British Airways pilot accused of secretly filming himself having sex with an air hostess planned a ‘virtual threesome’ with another pilot, a court has heard.
Tim Capron, 38, is on trial accused of voyeurism after he took a photograph and two videos of himself having sex with a blindfolded member of BA’s cabin crew – who he met through the dating app Tinder.
He then sent the videos and image to another BA pilot, Steven Farnworth, who Capron described as a ‘sexual partner’ of his who he enjoyed having threesomes with.
Jane Davies, prosecuting, in her closing speech described Capron and Mr Farnworth’s actions as a ‘virtual threesome’.
She told Reading Crown Court: ‘The truth is that the sexual activity had been planned by the defendant. He made it clear to Mr Farnworth that there was to be some sexual activity that night and he told Mr Farnworth he could expect some videos.
‘He made sure that the scene was set so it would be done and it was to be done in secret, it was not to be done until the complainant was blindfolded, it certainly was not going to be done with her consent and knowledge.
‘You may think, members of the jury, it was a deliberate and conscious decision, not to mention it to the complainant, because she might have said no to being filmed and that would have spoiled the defendant’s and Mr Farnworth’s evening, their plans of what I would submit was some kind of virtual threesome, that is essentially what it was.’
Capron now accepts the complainant, who he matched with on the dating app Tinder, did not actually consent to being recorded and accepted he had never asked her whether she did, jurors heard.
Tim Capron, 38, is accused of secretly filming himself having sex with an air hostess. He then sent the videos and image to another BA pilot, Steven Farnworth, who Capron described as a ‘sexual partner’ of his who he enjoyed having threesomes with
Capron, who denies one charge of voyeurism, argued he did not know the complainant would not consent, pointing out they had discussed ‘whips, restraints and dominance’ in messages before they met for sex on an occasion in September 2021.
The court had heard how Capron had sent the complainant messages in which he described his love of what he called ‘consensual rape’.
Messages showed the complainant had said this was ‘beyond my limits’, but nevertheless agreed to go on two dates with Capron.
Ms Davies it was ‘absurd’ for Capron to claim he therefore believed she would have consented to being recorded for him and his friend’s sexual gratification.
‘This is not a common-sense conclusion, it is a giant illogical leap which cannot be made. The activities are completely different’, Ms Davies said.
The prosecutor described Oxford-educated Capron, who said filming and being filmed was a part of his sex life, as ‘egocentric’ and ‘selfish’.
‘His approach to sexual activity is all what he likes, what pleases him, basing decisions about his knowledge of consent on his own experience and what other sexual partners have allowed him to do’, Ms Davies said.
‘He had no regard whatsoever, you may think, of her wishes at the time. He knew, members of the jury, that he was not consenting’, the prosecutor added.
Capron graduated with an MA in biology from Christchurch college before joining BA as a graduate in 2009 aged 22 (Stock photo)
‘This was all part of the sexual game that he and Mr Farnworth were engaging in’.
Messages between Capron and Mr Farnworth after the incident showed the defendant had described the complainant as ‘f***ing annoying’ and a ‘MF [mixed fleet] hoe that thinks she can control me’.
Ms Davies told Reading Crown Court on Wednesday that these messages demonstrated Capron’s ‘arrogant misogyny’.
Jenni Dempster KC, defending, said Capron was a man of good character who had not behaved towards the complainant in a ‘misogynistic’ way.
‘Whatever your view of the way he and Mr Farnworth exchanged messages, he is not on trial for that’, Ms Dempster said.
The lawyer accepted some jurors may find Capron’s sex life ‘rather unpleasant and distasteful’, but pointed out the trial was ‘not a court of morals’.
‘If you disapprove of all of this, it probably has absolutely no relevance to the verdict you will reach’, she argued. ‘You are concerned here with where he actually knew she was not consenting.’
Reading Crown Court where Capron is on trial accused of voyeurism (file image)
Capron revealed to the court yesterday that he had a previous conviction for possessing extreme pornography and had been given a conditional discharge over the incident.
Ms Dempster told Capron: ‘During the course of this investigation, we heard your phone was examined and what is described as an extreme pornographic image, a single video in fact, was found on that phone.
‘As a result of the police finding that single video, it became clear that was a video you had received from a friend, then forwarded to another friend in January 2019, extreme pornography of an adult nature.
‘You were charged with possession of extreme pornography and on August 10, 2023, you pleaded guilty at the magistrates court in Reading and you received a six-month conditional discharge, so if you committed no further offence in those six months – which you did not – you would not be punished for that offence.’
Capron confirmed that was correct and that he had no other previous convictions or cautions.
He told jurors he had been single at the time, had never been married or had children and remained single today.
The jury of seven men and five women began their deliberations at just after 3.30pm. At 4.30pm, they were sent home until 10am on Thursday.
