Alleged Hartlepool rape victim was 'distraught and hysterical', trial hears from witnesses

Six friends, who were on a night out, went into an alley in Hartlepool town centre after one of the group noticed the woman at around 3am.

Four of the witnesses gave evidence in the trial of Paul Rowntree, 25, at Teesside Crown Court on Wednesday, November 18.

The trial earlier heard that Keenan Robson first noticed the woman after going in the alley to urinate and went to get his friends.

One of them, Sophie Corrigan, said when she arrived she saw the woman with her head in her hands and her trousers were pulled down.

Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, asked how she was. Ms Corrigan said: “She was crying loudly.”

She said she ran over to her adding: “I asked her if she was OK and she said ‘I’ve been raped.’

"She told me her and the man were kissing earlier in the night and they went outside and he wouldn’t take no for an answer in the alleyway.”

Ms Corrigan said the woman remained ‘really upset’ up until the police arrived.

Alexandra Marshall, another member from the group, said the alleged victim was crying ‘really loudly’.

She said she followed three men from the group who were challenging Rowntree at the other end of the alley about what had happened.

Ms Marshall said she stood in between them and Rowntree at one point.

She said she went back to the alleged victim and phoned the police.

Ms Marshall described her as ‘quite hysterical.’

Bailey Bell said the woman was distraught and he and Mr Robson went to speak to Rowntree to try to find out what had happened.

Mr Bell said Rowntree walked away ‘hastily’ but was challenged about that by defence barrister Richard Herrmann who suggested CCTV showed Rowntree walking in a relaxed manner.

Another of the group of friends, Harry Gould, said the woman was hysterical and crying.

Mr Herrmann put it to a number of the witnesses that Rowntree gave his name and an address before leaving.

Mr Gould said he remembered him giving an address.

Rowntree, of no fixed address, denies rape. The trial continues.

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