Security guard at gay nightclub ‘raped Christian woman saving herself for marriage', court hears
A security guard at a gay nightclub in central London raped a 19-year-old Christian woman who wanted to remain a virgin until marriage, a jury has heard.
Morenikeji Adewole, 31, is accused of attacking his alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, after she was denied entry to the Heaven nightclub on Hallowe'en last year.
CCTV allegedly showed the defendant in hi-vis, later walking alone with the teenager who was stumbling and occasionally falling in the street.
In a police interview played to the court, the alleged victim told officers she was a Christian who was 'saving herself until marriage' and felt 'violated'.
The complainant contacted the police at 3pm on Nov 1 and told officers she had been raped, the court heard.
The woman had queued for about two hours with five friends but only three of the group were allowed into the club, Southwark Crown Court heard. She was one of those left on the street and was 'very drunk', Marion Smullen, the prosecutor told the court.
CCTV played to the jury showed Mr Adewole, from Dartford, Kent, approaching the group, Ms Smullen said.
The next video played to the court allegedly showed him walking with the complainant and one of her friends along Villiers Street.
Ms Smullen said: 'After a while, she wanted to get her other friends and just go home. She remembers speaking to a security guard about getting into the club to get her other friends and just go home – he said he would let her into the club, just come this way.'
Another clip features what appears to be the defendant and the woman standing in a tunnel behind a shutter near York Buildings.
Ms Smullen said the woman looked 'very drunk' and could be seen stumbling and bending over while holding her hands on her knees.
It is alleged that Mr Adewole left the tunnel and later returned in his Lexus. He then drove the teenager to a small road called Adelphi Terrace in Westminster, where 'there are homeless people sleeping', which is where the alleged rape occurred, the court was told.
The complainant described falling asleep in the back seat of the car and waking to find him on top of her, Ms Smullen added.
During a police interview, which was played to the court, the woman said she attempted to push the security guard away but he carried on. The complainant said she felt that he was wearing a condom.
She told officers that she does not recall leaving the vehicle but does remember meeting her friends.
In the interview, she described thinking at the time: 'I can't believe this is happening to me, because I'm a Christian and I was saving myself until marriage, and I've done all this hard work to resist'.
Asked how she felt walking back to the club, she appeared to wipe back tears and said: 'I felt disgusting, felt violated, I felt so f---ed off. I was so, so upset, I was bawling my eyes out.'
Officers traced Adewole through his car and he was arrested at Heaven on Nov 11 last year. The Lexus keys were in his possession and he answered no comment to almost all questions when he was interviewed by police, the hearing was told.
Mr Adewole denies rape and the trial continues.
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