Woman 'raped in Hartlepool alleyway despite pleading with attacker to stop', court told

Paul Rowntree, 25, is alleged to have held the woman down by the neck so she could not move and raped her in an alley in the early hours.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the woman, who can’t be named, met Rowntree that night and they kissed before he is alleged to have turned nasty when they went outside.

In opening the crown’s case to the jury on Monday, November 16, Paul Cleasby, prosecuting, said: “The prosecution say [the woman] made it clear to the defendant that she didn’t want to engage in sexual intercourse with him but the defendant ignored her wishes.”

Mr Cleasby said in her words Rowntree became ‘a bit grabby’ in the alley. He is said to have pushed her against a wall and began putting his hands down her jeans.

The prosecution say she pulled his hands away but he persisted. Mr Cleasby added: “One of the defendant’s hands was pressing on the back of the neck.

"[The woman] kept telling the defendant to stop, to ‘please stop’ and to behave. Despite asking the defendant to stop he ignored her pleas.”

A man is said to have heard the woman in distress and went to her aid. He got his friends and the woman told them she had been raped.

According to the witness, Mr Cleasby said Rowntree walked away after pulling his trousers up.

Rowntree was arrested the following day and made no reply.

When interviewed by police he accepted meeting the woman in a bar and that they kissed before going into the alley.

He said he was going to take her to his sister’s house but had second thoughts.

"The defendant told the police that he asked her whether he could have sex with her and she agreed” said Mr Cleasby.

Rowntree, of no fixed abode, denied she was upset and crying on the floor as he left.

He denies one count of rape and the trial is expected to last for four days.

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