A man accused of raping a young woman he met on a night out in Newmarket told a jury the alleged victim was “happy and content” to have sex with him.

East Anglian Daily Times: Two men are standing trial over the alleged rape of a woman in Newmarket Picture: ARCHANTTwo men are standing trial over the alleged rape of a woman in Newmarket Picture: ARCHANT (Image: Archant)

Patrick Thompson, 24, of Collinson Avenue, Middlesbrough, took the stand at Ipswich Crown Court on Monday as his defence began.

Thompson is facing one charge of rape, while co-defendant Brunno Tajima, 21, of Tentergate Gardens, Knaresborough, has been charged with four counts of rape.

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, the court previously heard.

Thompson then left the B&B and Tajima is alleged to have raped the young woman, who was out celebrating her birthday, at the same B&B.

The two men, who were in Suffolk working for the same cable pulling company, first 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.

Thompson said the alleged victim approached him while he was sat on his own at the Golden Lion when Tajima had gone to the toilet.

MORE: Young woman allegedly raped after birthday night out, court hearsGiving evidence, Thompson said: "She said 'You look like you're lonely'. Then she asked if she could sit with us. She got her friends and sat on our table.

"The conversation was about my life and who I was. It seemed like she really wanted to get to know me."

At the Waggon and Horses, Thompson said he shared "more than one kiss" with the alleged victim.

Thompson described "snogging" the woman and said she was "coming across really flirty."

Thompson told the jury the alleged victim 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 but was interrupted by a phonecall from Tajima and stopped to take the call.

Miss Eley then asked: "Did she seem happy? Did she seem content to have sex with you?"

Thompson replied: "Yes."

Both Thompson and Tajima deny raping the woman and say the sex was consensual.

The trial continues.