A MAN accused of attacking and raping a woman as she walked home from the pub said he had been curious to get to know the alleged victim and denied lying about his account.

Abdel-Aziz Al-Shamary is said to have pushed the woman down a river bank, punched and raped her.

The Crown say the 21-year-old had been watching ‘outdoor sex’ pornographic videos on his mobile phone prior to the attack, off St Cuthbert’s Way, Darlington, on May 16/17 this year and some of the woman’s DNA was found on his boxer shorts.

In his evidence, Mr Al-Shamary said he said hello to the woman who said hello back and began talking to him, although he did not understand what she was saying.

He said: “She crossed the road and I followed her. I was curious to know more about her, but in a normal way.

“She then told me to go away and called me names.”

Mr Al-Shamary, of Pensbury Street, Darlington, said he was unhappy and stressed by the complainant’s reaction and put his hand to her face, causing her to fall down.

He said the woman’s fall caused her trousers to come down and he described trying to calm her down and pull her back to her feet.

He admitted the woman was scared and he too was frightened as he noticed her nose was bleeding, and when she was on her feet he quickly walked away in a hurry.

He said he did not rape her or touch her indecently.

Prosecutor Paul Abrahams asked why Mr Al-Shamary had told police he could not remember the incident when he was interviewed the following day and suggested he had lied.

He said: “Why not, if you recall what happened, tell your account?”

Mr Al-Shamary said he had been scared and had been given advice to answer police questions with no comment.

Mr Abrahams also asked why Mr Al-Shamary walked away from the alleged victim and then ran back in her direction.

He said: “It is quite clear that your account that you have given to this court does not fit the reality of fact.

“While you were walking away you changed your mind and ran back to rape her.”

Mr Al-Shamary, whose answers were translated by an interpreter, denied this.

His barrister John Turner asked him if he could recall various remarks he had made to the police, following his arrest, in which he said he would not to talk to women and “kill me kill me”.

Mr Al-Shamary, who denies rape and attempted rape, but has admitted assault, said he was not in control of his reactions at the time.

He also said he was tired and shocked and surprised to have been arrested by the police.

The trial at Teesside Crown Court continues.