Man (46) on trial accused of rape and assault

A MAN has gone on trial accused of rape and assault.

Paul Adshead (46) denies committing both offences, which are said to have taken place in July this year against the same woman.

He claims the sexual activity was consensual.

Mr Gurdial Singh, prosecuting,  said Adshead was an alcoholic and, when drunk, would “use his fists”.

Mr Gurdial said that on the morning of the alleged rape Adshead had bought three litres of cider at around 5.30am near his home in Wingfield.

The sex attack had taken place not long after he had been to the shop, Mr Singh said.

The complainant said Adshead had “backhanded” her two or three times in the mouth, which had caused her to bleed.

She had tried push him away “but probably didn’t try hard enough”, she told the jury.

The woman said police had told her they had found Adshead “asleep on a grass verge passed out” shortly after the alleged rape had taken place.

The prosecutor said that when Adshead was arrested, he had denied the allegations and claimed the sexual activity had been consensual.

The trial continues.