Alleged rape victim breaks down in tears under questioning (From The Northern Echo)
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Alleged rape victim breaks down in tears under questioning
4:36pm Tuesday 12th February 2013 in News
By Stuart Arnold
AN alleged rape victim who secretly recorded a 'confession' from her attacker on her mobile phone broke down in tears in court, denying a claim the assault never happened.
The woman was giving evidence in the Teesside Crown Court trial of Matthew Landells who has pleaded not guilty to charges of rape, assault by beating and perverting the course of justice.
She was asked to respond to a claim from defence barrister Martin Towers that the rape did not happen.
In tears, she replied: “It did happen. I would not be here otherwise. I would not put myself through this.”
Asked how she felt now the alleged abuse had stopped, she said: “I feel like I have got a life now. I can talk to people, I have got friends and feel happy.”
Mr Towers suggested a recorded apology in which Mr Landells' said sorry was for the “bad times” the woman had experienced, not for him raping her.
He said: “He is not apologising for raping you because he never did rape you.”
The woman accepted that she visited the defendant with the intention of recording a confession from him.
She said: “I wanted to get a confession, I was not tricking him. It was all the truth. It was a confession that was recorded.”
The woman was quizzed by Mr Towers about the length of time it took her to get in touch with Darlington police about the rape allegation and why she had not mentioned it previously.
She only told officers about the allegation sometime after Mr Landells' was arrested on suspicion of pushing her and putting his hands around her neck.
She admitted contacting the defendant after he bailed by magistrates with conditions not to communicate with her, while standing by her claim that Mr Landells' asked her not to go to court to testify against him.
The alleged victim said she had been “honest from the beginning” with her account of events and had told the police everything.
Mr Landells, 24, of Ann Swyft Road, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, says sex between the pair was consensual.
The trial continues.
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