Sunderland ex-soldier raped woman after she tried to cheer him up about Brexit vote, court told

The woman admitted giving Stephen Shayo, 34, of Allendale Road, Sunderland, a hug because he was upset about the referendum result.

Shayo claims the sex the pair had later was consensual, but the woman told Teesside Crown Court the hug was "not flirty".

Prosecutor Paul Abrahams said the victim had been for a night out with friends in Richmond, North Yorkshire, before going to the Louis club in Catterick.

The jury was shown CCTV footage of the woman and Shayo sitting on a grassed area in front of Louis at about 3.50am.

"The pair got into a taxi which went back to the woman's house," said Mr Abrahams.

"She went into her house, followed by the defendant.

"The woman decided to go to bed, hoping Mr Shayo would leave.

"But he climbed into bed with her, and proceeded to have sex, despite the woman pleading with him not to."

Under cross-examination from Christine Egerton, defending, the woman said her recollection of the evening was not good due to the amount of drink she taken.

"I had a pint of lager and blackcurrant in the house before going out," she said.

"In Richmond I had two Malibu and lemonades, three or four Jaeger bombs, and couple more Malibus.

"When we got to Louis I had some more shots."

The jury was shown CCTV footage of the woman sitting with Shayo outside Louis.

"We were talking about the EU referendum," she said.

"I wanted to stay in the EU, and so did she, he seemed upset we would be leaving.

"I felt sorry for him, so I gave him a hug, there was nothing flirty about that.

"We were being friendly, and we were going to walk back together because he told me he lived near my road.

"There was no plan to go back to his place."

The woman denied a suggestion from Ms Egerton she had kissed Shayo, and she said she could not remember them walking together with her arm around his waist, before getting into a taxi to her house.

Ms Egerton put it to the woman they had "sexual activity" on her couch before consensual intercourse in her bed.

The woman replied: "I remember lying on my side when it happened, and me saying 'please no, please no', then I told him to get out."

Ms Egerton said to the woman: "You may feel now you let yourself down that night.

"But at the time, what happened is what you wanted to happen."

The woman said: "No, no, I didn't want it happen."

Shayo denies rape.

Proceeding.