Man accused of raping and trying to kill woman he met in Sunderland nightspot denies he 'just flipped'

Darran Read is accused of trying to smother and strangle the stranger during a prolonged and violent sex attack that left her with a fractured hand, a possible fracture to her arm and bruising.

The woman has told jurors she was raped twice during the ordeal, which went on for hours, when they got back to Read’s home after meeting at Arizona in Aunderland last August.

The 37-year-old accused has told jurors at Newcastle Crown Court the woman, who is in her 40s, consented to sex with him, once, at his home and she had asked him to be “rough”.

During his second day in the witness box, Read has denied each charge he faces, individually.

His barrister Nicholas de la Poer asked him: “Did you attempt to kill her?”

Read replied: “No”.

Mr de la Poer asked: “At any point did you intend her really serious bodily harm?”

Read replied: “No.”

Mr de la Poer asked: “Did you have sexual intercourse with her without her consent?”

Read replied: “I did not, no.”

Read denied there was a second occasion of sex that night, consensual or otherwise.

Mr de la Poer asked Read: “At any time did you do anything intending to prevent her from leaving your property, had she wanted to do so?”

He replied: “No”.

During cross examination prosecutor Anne Richardson asked Read if he “just flipped” when he got back to the house but he said “no”.