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Rape accused denies carving woman with needle to "assert control"

Rape accused denies carving woman with needle to

Friday 13 January 2023

Rape accused denies carving woman with needle to "assert control"

Friday 13 January 2023


A 28-year-old man accused of three counts of rape against a woman has denied an allegation that he carved his name on the woman using a needle to asset control over her.

The trial of David Sullivan, who has pleaded 'not guilty' to all the charges against him, opened in the Royal Court on Monday.

Giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial yesterday, he told a jury that he was left "in pieces" following his arrest for rape and said he had no difficulty in understanding the word "stop".

He said that all sexual encounters with the alleged victim had been entirely consensual.

He said that it would have been "impossible" for him to have had sex with the woman while she slept – as alleged – and that it simply never happened.

Under cross-examination from Crown Advocate Simon Thomas, prosecuting, Mr Sullivan, said: "I was in pieces about it [the arrest]. It was not a nice experience to go through and it’s not a nice experience to go through now."

Mr Sullivan denied allegations that he put a pillow over the woman’s face during one of the alleged rapes, and said he had no difficulty in understanding what the word ‘stop’ meant.

Advocate Thomas said: "When you do something sexually you are not prepared to wait for the other person."

Mr Sullivan replied: "No, that is not the case at all."

Earlier in the trial, the woman claimed that he had "carved" her "with a piercing needle".

Advocate Thomas said that the defendant carved his name into the woman to "assert control" over her.

However, Mr Sullivan denied doing such a thing.

Earlier in the trial, the jury heard that Mr Sullivan had allegedly become obsessed with the woman and sat in a tree outside her house watching her.

Advocate Sarah Dale was defending with Commissioner Sir John Saunders presiding. The trial is expected to conclude today.

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