“There was nothing I could do to make it stop”

Tuesday 26 November 2019

A woman who is accusing two men of having raped and indecently assaulted her has given evidence against them as part of a Royal Court trial, saying there was nothing she could to stop the assault, which allegedly took place when she was a teen.

Ian Pryor is facing two counts of rape, while Anthony John Quant is facing one count of rape, and one count of indecent assault; they both deny the charges against them.

The offences are alleged to have happened decades ago, when the alleged victim was at St. Aubin’s Fort. 

Crown Advocate Emma Hollywood, who is leading the prosecution, told the jury the alleged victim had been raped twice by Mr Pryor – represented by Advocate Luke Sette - and once by Mr Quant – represented by Advocate Adam Harrison - who had then gone on to indecently assault her, whilst she was being raped by Mr Pryor for the second time.  

Pictured: The offences are alleged to have happened decades ago, whilst the alleged victim was at St. Aubin’s Fort. 

The Crown Advocate described the girl as “vulnerable and helpless” and “at the mercy of two men,” whom she said abused her “vulnerability and trust” as well as her body, “in the worst way possible.” 

“Not just one of them, but the two,” she added. “One after the other… watching each other, egging each other on.” 

The prosecutor said the two men went on to sexually assault the girl as the same time as one another, which she described as “a depraved act.” 

She said the men had raped the girl in silence apart from “giggles, and suggestions of what to do next.”

Alluding to the possibility the defence lawyers might suggest the woman was lying, and that “every single detail is in some way a blatant lie,” Crown Advocate Hollywood asked the jury to question what would be her motive. “Why would she lie with so many wide-reaching ramifications to her and those she loves?” she said. 

The prosecutor suggested that the reason the woman put herself through the ordeal of giving evidence is because, “...she is telling the truth; she simply needs truth to be known…she simply wants justice to be done.”

Pictured: The Crown Advocate said the alleged victim "simply wanted justice to be done."

She asked the jury to leave any preconceptions they might have about rape and sexual offences outside the room, especially “...myths that most rapes are violent or committed by strange men in dark alleyways.” 

“Sexual assaults can take place in all kinds of circumstances, between all kinds of people, who react in many different ways,” she said. 

The alleged victim was the first witness to be called as part of the prosecution case. She explained she was staying in the Fort when an older man invited her to watch a video in another room.

When she arrived, she said Mr Pryor and Mr Quant were shirtless. The alleged victim said it was suggested they had had a hard day at work and needed a massage.

The alleged victim eventually massaged Mr Pryor’s shoulders “for a few seconds,” and then went to the front of the room to watch the video. 

She was passed a clear bottle which contained a small amount of clear liquid. She said that while she didn’t remember drinking, she knew she had. “It seemed to be part of what was happening,” she explained.

Pictured: The jury trial is due to continue until Friday.

The woman broke down in tears in court, and said the next think she remembered was lying on the floor completely straight, with her arms by her side. “I didn’t want to be there,” she said. 

The woman said that when she came to after being “completely unconscious” she “didn’t know what was happening."

She said that when she opened her eyes, she saw Mr Pryor. She was on the floor on her back and he was on top of her. She told the jury she kept thinking: “Why won’t you just stop? I didn’t do anything to make you do it, I didn’t speak to you.” 

The alleged victim said she didn’t speak at first and just cried. “I just wished someone would come and find me,” she said. 

“I was a virgin,” I couldn’t do anything… There was nothing I could do to make it stop.”

The trial, which is being presided over by Royal Court Commissioner Julian Clyde-Smith, is scheduled to continue until Friday.