A MAN who denies repeatedly raping a young woman while his wife was out of the country was today (Wednesday, May 14) accused of inventing “a pack of lies” in his defence.

Hassan Akhtar, 37, denies four counts of rape and one of attempted rape of the “sexually naive” victim, in late 2012 and the early months the following year, while his wife and family were visiting relatives in Pakistan.

Mr Akhtar, who worked in a convenience store in the Stanley area of County Durham at the time, was said to have been assisted by a 50-year-old woman who then lived in a nearby flat.

Muriel Coleman, now of Churchill Square, Durham, has admitted two counts of encouraging or assisting Mr Akhtar in the commission of the offences.

Giving evidence on the fourth day of his trial, Mr Akhtar claimed he had sex with Coleman, at her behest, but not with the alleged victim.

When she gave evidence to the court Coleman denied having had any sexual encounters with Mr Akhtar, who she referred to as, “a menace”.

Prosecution barrister Sarah Mallett said: “The whole sex thing with Muriel Coleman is just a pack of lies.”

Mr Akhtar, 37, and now of Dean Road, South Shields, claimed he had three sexual encounters with Coleman, but never with the alleged victim of the charges.

The jury is expected to retire to consider its verdicts tomorrow (Thursday May 14).