Rape accused claims he would ‘never force himself on anyone’
GV - Ipswich Crown Court
A man accused of raping a young woman he met on a night out in Newmarket has denied treating her like a “piece of meat”.
Giving evidence during his trial at Ipswich Crown Court Brunno Tajima claimed he had consensual sex with the woman and at no time had she given him any indication that she wasn't enjoying what was taking place.
Tajima claimed the victim had been moaning with pleasure and when he briefly stopped having sex with her to answer his phone he said she had whispered in his ear and urged him to come back and continue what they'd been doing.
During questioning by his barrister Hugh Vass he denied treating her like "a piece of meat" and said he would never force himself on anyone.
Tajima, 21, of Tentergate Gardens, Knaresborough, has denied four offences of rape and his co-defendant Patrick Thompson, 24, of Collinson Avenue, Middlesbrough, has denied one offence of rape.
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Thompson is alleged to have raped the woman at a bed and breakfast (B&B) in Newmarket where he and Tajima were staying following the night out.
Thompson then left and Tajima is alleged to have raped the young woman, who was out celebrating her birthday, at the same B&B.
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The two men, who were in Suffolk working for the same cable pulling company, met the alleged victim at the Golden Lion pub on April 6, 2017, when she was out with a group of friends.
The pair joined the group and were invited to go with them when the celebrations moved to the nearby Waggon and Horses pub, the court heard.
Giving evidence Thompson claimed the alleged victim approached him while he was sitting on his own at the Golden Lion.
He described "snogging" the woman and said she was "coming across really flirty".
He claimed she sat on his knee and whispered in his ear that she wanted to go back to his hotel or "words to that effect".
Asked by defence barrister Joanne Eley why he thought she said that, Thompson replied: "Because she wanted to obviously have sex."
Thompson told the court he had consensual sex with the woman.
The trial continues.
