A MAN is on trial charged with two counts of rape after allegedly following a woman back to her flat in Reading.
Abdullahi Bulhan, 23, is accused of raping a 52-year-old woman in Reading on October 14 last year after following her back from a Tesco supermarket.
The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told police the man had asked to use her toilet but once inside her home he assaulted her twice in the early hours of the morning.
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Bulhan, of Roseville Road in Hayes, Hillingdon, denies the charges and told police he thought she was ‘completely willing’.
Opening the trial at Reading Crown Court, prosecutor Charles Evans said: “[The woman] said that earlier that evening she had got the bus to Reading. She was in Tesco when the male spoke to her and said he knew her from about three year ago.
“She said she didn’t know him and left to get the bus. The defendant also walked to the bus and [got on] upstairs.
“She got off the bus and so did the defendant. He spoke to her and said he needed to use her bathroom and she was reluctant but said yes.”
After Bulhan had used the toilet, the court heard the pair walked to a nearby petrol station together as the defendant was thirsty.
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Mr Evans continued: “He bolted her front door [when they returned] which made her feel scared and they went into the living room.
“He started to undress the claimant and she said no…she said she wasn’t having sex with him and she had a partner already.
“She said no because she didn’t want to but felt compelled to because of fear. He then got dressed again but soon after he grabbed her wrist and moved her to the bedroom.”
The court heard a second alleged incident occurred in the bedroom. Mr Evans said each incident lasted about 30 minutes.
A taxi was then called for the defendant and the woman immediately called the police at 3.16am.
Bulhan was arrested the same night at about 4.15am. He told police the following evening that after the pair had been watching television together when ‘she put her hand on his thigh’.
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He told police that “at no time did he think she was anything other than completely willing until she said she shouldn’t be doing this as she had a partner”.
The trial continues.
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