Man faces trial for alleged rape and indecent assault of teenager

Monday 03 July 2017

A 20-year-old man is facing trial in Royal Court this week for four counts of indecent assault, and one count of rape, on a 17-year-old girl, which allegedly took place in October 2016.

Paulo Adelino Pestana Ferreira is pleading not guilty to all counts.

This morning the Court heard that the alleged victim and Mr Ferreira had never met before the night of the alleged assault on 9 October 2016. They met in the early hours of the morning in Havana Club in town. The 17-year-old girl had been out in town, "She was drunk by the end of the evening", said Crown Advocate Simon Thomas, who is prosecuting the case.

The Court watched CCTV footage gathered from several cameras around town, showing Mr Ferreira walking with the victim, he offered her a lift back home but she apparently kept refusing. While she was waiting for a friend at Liberation Station, Mr Ferreira went to get his car in Minden Place and drove to the bus station. He eventually picked her up but took her to a car park that was not on the route to her home instead.

It is alleged he sexually assaulted her on the way to the car park, touching her over her clothing and forcing her to touch him. It's alleged the victim made it clear she did not want him to and protested. He then allegedly raped her on the back seat of his car while she was "passed out."

The Crown Advocate said: "It must have been clear to the defendant, who was clearly sober, that the victim was under the influence of alcohol. What was it that attracted him or led him to spend time with her? Did he perceive there was opportunity for sexual activity given her intoxicated state?"

It's alleged the teenager "blacked out" and has no memories of what happened after she got in the back seat. She has no recollection of the journey back home and only remembers when she was dropped home and went to bed. When she woke up the following day, she says she felt pain and soreness and only a few hours later that she started to realise what had happened. 

Mr Ferreira, who is defended by Advocate Rui Tremoceiro, denies any form of sexual contact with the victim and says he only dropped her off at home. He says the only time he touched her was to pull up her dress as it was falling down.