A woman who alleges she was raped by two strangers in a public park has firmly denied accusations that she lied about the incident because she felt 'embarrassed', as heard during a tense court session.
Details of the Alleged Assault
Sheraz Malik, aged 28, stands accused of raping the woman, who was 18 at the time, in Sutton Lawn Park located in Sutton-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. The alleged attack occurred on June 29 of the previous year.
The complainant, whose identity is protected for legal reasons, testified that she had consumed two bottles of vodka with a male friend prior to encountering Malik and a group of other men in the park.
Sequence of Events in the Park
According to her testimony at Birmingham Crown Court, she and her friend joined the group of men, whom she had never met before, as they were seated nearby in the park. Her friend subsequently left her alone with the group to meet someone else, reportedly asking the men to 'look after her'.
The woman claims that during this period of isolation, she was raped twice by two different men from the group. Nicolas Corsellis KC, prosecuting, described the alleged victim as 'alone, drunk and was obviously a vulnerable person' at the time of the attacks.
The first alleged sexual assault is said to have occurred as she relieved herself in an 'isolated' area of the park. Following this, she returned to the group before being led to another 'secluded' location where Malik allegedly raped her.
Defence Challenges and Cross-Examination
Malik, who followed proceedings with the assistance of a Pakistani Pashto interpreter, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape.
During cross-examination by defence barrister Simon Eckersley, the woman—shielded from view by a screen—vehemently denied that any aspect of the encounter was consensual. She was questioned about why she went for a walk with Malik after allegedly being raped by the first man.
Providing evidence via video link, the woman stated: 'I didn't have nobody else with me. I was scared, I felt scared of saying no.' She acknowledged to Malik's barrister that she could have shouted for help from passers-by or attempted to flee but did not do so.
Questioning of Previous Claims
The court was informed that the complainant had previously made a false allegation of rape against a family member. Additionally, two years later, she reported being raped by another man but later withdrew that claim.
Mr Eckersley posed the direct question: 'Have you claimed falsely the second man [Malik] raped you because you were embarrassed about having consensual sex with him?'
The complainant responded unequivocally: 'I wasn't embarrassed. It is true. It did happen. It wasn't consensual.' She further denied flirting with Malik and explained that she gave him her Snapchat details after the alleged attack because she felt uncomfortable.
Further Allegations and Denials
The defence suggested that after the sexual encounter, the woman and Malik walked back together and that she expressed enjoyment of the sex and affection for him. The complainant retorted: 'I never said that. He's a liar.'
When asked by Mr Corsellis if she found anything attractive about Malik or if his compliments influenced her desire for sex, she replied: 'No. Nothing.' To the question of whether she wanted to have sex with Malik, she affirmed: 'No I didn't. I didn't want him to. I didn't want anything.'
The trial continues as the court examines the conflicting testimonies and evidence presented in this deeply troubling case.
