THE second man accused of raping a teenager in an alleyway outside a nightclub told a jury he initially denied having sex with her because he felt ashamed at cheating on his girlfriend.

Kristofer McLaren, 21, initially said he was not involved in any sexual activity with the clubber when interviewed by police after he was arrested with friend Craig Whitelaw.

However, at Teesside Crown Court today (Friday, February 6), the former steel sales worker admitted having sex outside the Amadeus nightclub in Northallerton on August 9 last year.

McLaren said the teenager made the first move by approaching him while he was dancing and kissing him. He said he stepped back and she moved on to kiss Whitelaw, also 21.

He said he then followed Whitelaw and the teenager outside because he had promised to look after his friend but did not know where they were going.

The court heard he followed them down the alley where he claims the teenager instigated sex with both men, starting with his friend. He said she never asked to stop.

Asked by his barrister, Charles Royle how long his sex lasted, he replied: "about 15 seconds."

He told the jury: "I think maybe I didn't feel quite as drunk as I had done. I had a dawn realisation of what I was doing which was having a threesome down an alley and cheating on my girlfriend.

"I felt ashamed of myself. I got up and began to walk away. I had too much to drink and when she started kissing me and initiated sexual contact I'd just gone along."

McLaren and Whitelaw had spent the day drinking with friends in Thirsk before the group headed to Northallerton.

After returning from the alley, the two men took a taxi home.

Next morning they were arrested, and McLaren told officers: "I know exactly what this refers to. I saw what went on but I played no part in it."

He told the court he was reluctant to continue lying about not having sexual intercourse because he felt he "couldn't go back."

"I was asked about the night and I lied. My lies compromised the position of both myself and Craig."

Whitelaw, of Sutton, near Thirsk, and McLaren, of Rymer Way, Thirsk, both deny two counts of rape, while the former also denies sexual assault.

The prosecution says the pair took advantage of the teenager's drunkeness, and ignored her pleas to stop and help her find her friends.

The trial continues on Monday.