A MAN standing trial did not rape a woman but had consensual sex with her, his defence has claimed.

Joshua Ayeh-Amanor has been charged with raping a woman after a night out in October 2019.

Winchester Crown Court had previously been told how the complainant said she woke up the following day to find the defendant on top of her.

He then allegedly pushed her arms back and said "just relax".

However, his defence counsel has said that the alleged victim had consensually had sex with Mr Amanor.

Closing her case on Thursday morning, Emma Rance said: "How many of you when you came into this courtroom looked over at Mr Amanor and thought ‘I wonder what he’s done?’

"It is not a criticism, it is probably a natural reaction looking at someone in the dock of a criminal court. The answer is he has done nothing, unless you decide otherwise.

"We are not ever going to know the truth of every single detail, or the truth about every issue that has been raised during this trial."

The prosecution had claimed that Mr Amanor had insisted on the complainant sleeping in his room, because she was staying with her friend who was his landlady.

But Ms Rance told the court that the defendant says he had come out of the bathroom to find her in his bedroom.

And she claimed follow-up texts after the incident, including a comment that he “still respected her”, was because he wanted to repair their relationship after he told the woman that he had recently slept with someone else.

"He felt embarrassed. Think about it, they’re texting each other and things were going well, and maybe it would have gone somewhere.

"But then [the incident happens] and he’s asking ‘what’s wrong’. What is wrong with Mr Amanor asking ‘have I done something?’

"Is that a man who doesn’t take no for an answer, or a man who is genuinely concerned?"

Ms Rance also suggested that the victim had "lied" about the rape having had consensual sex with the 39-year-old, after learning that he had slept with someone else.

"Members of the jury, sometimes when a lie is told, it has to be followed through," she told the court.

"Sometimes, there is no going back. And people lie. That is a fact. Sadly, some lie about being a raped."

The court had previously been played a video interview, in which the victim said: “I woke up in the morning to him on top of me and my pyjama bottoms and my knickers weren’t on.

“I kinda raised my arms as to say what are you doing, he pushed my arms back and said just relax.”

She said that she “got louder and said get off me”, adding: “He was obviously conscious of my friends being next door and he did get off.”

The woman said that she grabbed her clothes and went downstairs, texting her friend to come downstairs and told her what happened.

The trial continues.