Woman 'frozen' after alleged rape by BGT singer
PA MediaA woman who accused a former Britain's Got Talent contestant of raping her said she stayed the night after the alleged incident as she "felt frozen".
Andrew Johnston, from Carlisle, competed as a singer on the TV talent show in 2008 and is on trial at Southwark Crown Court charged with raping and sexually assaulting one woman and raping another.
A video interview of one of the women was played to the jury in which she said Mr Johnston had held one hand on her throat and used the other to pin down her arms.
Mr Johnston, 30, of Newton Road, denies all charges and the trial continues.
The alleged offences happened a number of years after he appeared on the programme, the court heard.
Prosecutor Maryam Syed KC previously told the jury Mr Johnston had been "engaging in consensual sexual activity" with one complainant, but he removed his condom, and the complainant "repeatedly told Mr Johnston to stop" but he did not.
Rupert Kent, defending, suggested to the woman that it would not have been difficult to leave during the night after the alleged rape.
She replied: "It was difficult to me. I felt frozen and stuck in place.
"I felt trapped and like I couldn't move. I felt stuck and anxious."
Under-cross examination on Thursday, Mr Kent put it to the woman Mr Johnston did not remove the condom while having sex with her, to which she said he did.
Mr Kent suggested the woman had "exaggerated or embellished what might be considered hard or energetic consensual sex, and moved it into the realms of non-consensual sex".
The woman denied the claim and the suggestion her allegations were a "deliberate lie".
The jury heard the other complainant told police she had engaged in consensual sex with the defendant and asked him to use a condom.
Ms Syed said Mr Johnston put his hands around the woman's neck but "no matter how many times she removed them" he would put his hands back around her throat.
He then removed the condom and carried on with the intercourse. The woman "indicated that he once again put his hands around her throat", Ms Syed said.
The trial continues.