'Woman began screaming' when alleged rapist asked for kiss, court hears

A Lithuanian man accused of raping a Longford woman in Leitrim told gardaí that she started to "scream, shout and cry" when he asked her if he could kiss her.

The 25-year-old man told gardaí that he was in a car with the complainant and another man who left the vehicle to go to the toilet. He said he then got into the back-seat of the car where the woman was and asked her "maybe we could make love".

He said she told him she was not a prostitute and became very upset. He denied that he forced himself on her.

The man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping and sexually assaulting the woman on April 8, 2007 at a lakeside near a Leitrim town.

The then 23-year-old complainant has said in evidence that she was not aware of being penetrated by the accused during the alleged attack in which she said he managed to get her trousers half off and partially undress himself. She said he pressed his penis against her but she was not aware of any penetration.

She said she thought the only way to get out of the car was past him so she pretended to give him oral sex and bit his penis as hard as she could.

When interviewed by gardaí the accused was asked if he accepted he had marks on his penis. He said he did but that they were present before he met the complainant.

Asked if he had an explanation for the marks replied: "I do, but not at the moment."

When it was put to him that the woman "played along" and let him put his penis in her mouth so that she could bite it and escape, he replied: "That's bullshit."

Detective Garda Patrick Leonard confirmed to Mr Devally that the memo of interview read to the jury was an accurate reflection of the interview which was conducted through an interpreter on April 9, 2007.

The accused told gardaí that he lived with his girlfriend and her brother in an apartment in a Leitrim town and that he had had a baby nine days before the alleged offence.

He had been stopped by gardai on the evening of the alleged attack while walking with another woman whom he described to gardai as his lover.

He said the complainant had been with his girlfriend's brother on the day of the alleged incident and that they had bought alcohol in a shop and driven to a lake.

He told gardaí she was drunk and that she was in the back-seat of the vehicle with the other man. He said he was in the front seat of the car but got into the back when the other man left the car to go to the toilet.

He said he asked if she liked him and if he could kiss her. When gardaí asked him if he masturbated he said "no" and laughed.

He told gardaí she became very upset, saying she was not a prostitute and he tried to calm her down by "hugging" her. He said she bit his arm and scratched his head. "She was using her hands and legs," he said.

The hearing continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury.