A 41-YEAR-OLD man accused of raping and sexually assaulting a woman has claimed that he was never rough and aggressive towards her – and that she was the violent one.
David Nigel Pearce was giving evidence on the fifth day of his trial in the Royal Court.
He denies four counts of rape and three of sexual assault.
Earlier in this week’s trial, the jury of five men and seven women heard that Mr Pearce had grabbed the woman by the throat, pinned her down and forced himself on her.
He was also said to have come to her workplace and shouted abuse at her.
But answering questions from Advocate David Steenson, defending, on Friday 23 February, Mr Pearce said she was lying.
He said: “I was never violent towards her.”
He added: “Sometimes she would be physically aggressive and I had to defend myself.”
Commissioner Alan Binnington is presiding over the trial. It is expected to last until next week.
