Lakenheath man denies allegations he raped woman as she slept

A Lakenheath man has denied allegations he raped a woman as she slept and that he committed other sexual offences.

Kieran O’Toole, 30, is said to have been with friends in the same pub as the woman earlier in the day, Ipswich Crown Court was told this week.

The jury has heard claims that the woman had awoken at her home to find O’Toole having sex with her.

O’Toole, of Woodcutters Way, Lakenheath, has pleaded not guilty to raping the woman and has also denied three other sexual offences involving a second alleged victim.

The court heard that in August 2014, O’Toole allegedly persuaded a woman in her 30s to allow him to sleep on a sofa at her home because he did not want to be alone at his own home following the death of his mother.

Prosecuting, Karl Volz told the jury that after an attempt by O’Toole to kiss the woman, she had said she was not interested and they agreed to just be friends.

Giving evidence, the woman said with O’Toole sleeping on a sofa, she had gone to bed in her underwear and fallen asleep.

The woman said that she had woken to find her underwear had been pulled down and O’Toole was having sex with her.

She said she had been ‘startled and shocked’.

O’Toole, who was told to leave the house immediately, apologised to the woman, the court heard.

Four days later O’Toole used social media to send the woman what the prosecution allege was an admission of what he had done, said Mr Volz.

In the message O’Toole said: “I do want to say sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

About three months later, the woman confided in a friend what she said had taken place and the friend had confronted O’Toole in a pub in Lakenheath, said Mr Volz.

Looking ‘sheepish and remorseful’, O’Toole admitted to the friend that what was being alleged was correct, claimed Mr Volz.

The jury heard that O’Toole also denied allegations of two sexual assaults and one of causing a female to engage in sexual activity without her consent in October 2014.

O’Toole has denied all the allegations, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

The trial continues.