A WOMAN barricaded herself in an upstairs room at her Worcester home after she had been raped, following a night out in the city centre, a court heard.

But Simon Walters-Melville, aged 26, of of Winslow View, Winslow, Bromyard, accused of rape told police his alleged victim had started kissing him and seemed willing to have sex, a court was told.

He met the woman in Shakeey’s restaurant in Angel Street, Worcester, in the early hours of Sunday, March 11. They had a drink together and then took a taxi back to her home at about 5.30am with a bottle of wine.

In a police interview read to the jury, Walters- Melville said they had been sitting talking and then got closer. He said they began kissing and fondling.

The woman earlier told the jury she had been out with friends the night before and had drunk Pimm’s and vodka. She then had four gin and tonics and four tequilas in Shakeey’s with Walters-Melville from 4am to 5.30am.

She told the court she could not remember getting into a taxi and all she remembered was waking up on the living room floor with Walters-Melville having sex with her. Her clothing was torn and her underwear and shoes were discarded.

Walters-Melville told police he did not think that she was too drunk to consent and they had ended up on the floor having sex.

He told police she fell asleep after sex. He carried her to the foot of the stairs and she woke up and ran upstairs.

She was sobbing and “seemed like a different person” and she shut herself in another room. He fell asleep and when he woke up she had gone downstairs and the police were called. Medical evidence showed bruising on her arms and legs and other injuries consistent with forced intercourse, the jury heard.

Walters-Melville denies rape, assault by penetration and attempted rape.

The trial continues.