Worthing clubber rape trial
A MUM-of-two has recalled the two-and-a-half hour rape attack she was allegedly subjected to on the beach near Worthing Pier.
The 25-year-old woman claims she was raped three times following a night out on August 1 last year, by teenager Harley Green.
Green, 19, of Nicolson Drive, Shoreham, is standing trial for the alleged sex attack at Chichester Crown Court.
He denies three counts of rape.
The woman, who lives in Worthing, told the court she feared she might die.
Video evidence
In a video of her police interview, played to the jury on Monday, July 26, during the opening of the trial, she said she got talking to a man she had not met before as she walked out of The Pier nightclub.
The woman told police they kissed, and Green suggested they go onto the beach. She said she did not want to and needed to get home.
The couple did end up on the beach, and in the interview she said she and Green sat on the pebbles and kissed.
"I told him I wanted to go no further than that," she said.
"But he started to put his hands up my dress. He was persistent. I said I'm not really up for that – I'm not that sort of person, but he just ignored me."
The woman described struggling to get away from him and claimed he held her by her throat and raped her three times.
Cuts and grazes
The alleged victim said after the ordeal at about 5.25am, she walked back towards the town with Green who told her to "try to act normal".
She claims she suffered bruises to her neck from where he had held her, as well as cuts and grazes to her arms, legs and lower back from the attack.
She reported the rape the following day after breaking down in front of a work colleague who asked her about the injuries.
Gillian Etherton, prosecuting, said: "Following an examination, the doctor said her injuries were entirely consistent of being held down and gripped."
The woman refused to have a full examination because she was too distressed.
Volunteered
On September 12, following the publication of a police appeal for information which included a CCTV image from the night, Green voluntarily went to Worthing police station with his parents and was arrested on suspicion of three counts of rape.
Ronnie Jaffa, defending, said the teenager had consensual sex with the victim.
During the second day of the trial on Tuesday, July 27 Mr Jaffa said to the woman: "In reality, what really happened is you were kissing and talking on the beach for half an hour or more, touching and maybe started to undress each other.
He added: "What happened between you was entirely consensual."
The woman said "no" it was not.
Mobile phone
Mr Jaffa said Mr Green believes the pair had sex numerous times during the two-and-a-half hours they were on the beach, stopping to talk and view photographs of the woman's children on her mobile phone.
In her police interview, the woman said she phoned a friend after the ordeal at 5.27am – but the defence showed the court the woman's mobile phone records which showed she had sent a text message at 4.47am when the attack was still allegedly happening.
The woman said she didn't remember sending the message.
Mr Jaffa told the court all text messages received by the woman before 9am on August 1 – the day of the alleged attack – had been deleted when police asked to examine it.
Conclusion
An edited summary of the defence case can be read by clicking here.
Harley Green was found not guilty by the jury on Thursday, August 5.
-------------------------------------
Click here to go back to Worthing news.
Where are you? Add your pin to the Herald's international readers' map by clicking here.
Email the Herald: letters@worthingherald.co.uk
Click here for the Herald staff directory.
Want to read this page in French, German, Spanish, Polish, Portuguese, Urdu or 48 other languages? click here for Google translate.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Worthing
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
