A drunk hotel migrant who was allegedly recorded raping a woman in her own home told a jury he did not attack her. Chret Callender, an asylum seeker from Trinidad, is accused of forcing himself onto the young woman after turning up at her home after a night out. Callender asked her for some “loving”, to which she said no, before he overpowered her and “carried on regardless”, a jury has heard.
The 28-year-old defendant today admitted to trying to pressure the complainant into having sex, but said he stopped when she said no. The woman had the “presence of mind” to record what was happening on her phone, the court heard, and the audio clips were played to the jury. When asked to explain why she was heard saying “I have said no” and “please stop” in the recording, Callender implied she was pretending he was attacking her.
Bournemouth Crown Court (Image: Google Maps)
He suggested that, as she knew she was recording, “she could be putting in other parts to make it look like this is what is happening”.
Callender admitted he was “pressuring” her to have sex and “that’s wrong” but was adamant they had not had sex.
He said: “I did not put my private parts in her, I was just laying on my side of the bed.
“I never forced myself on her. I don’t need to force myself on someone.”
When prosecutor Russell Pyne asked him if he knew why she said ‘ow’, Callender said no.
He had no explanation for the thrusting sounds heard on the recording, saying: “I also want to know what that was, I don’t know what was making that noise.”
Mr Pyne said: “When the thrusting sound stops you say sorry, what were you saying sorry for?”
Callender said: “I was really pressuring her and that’s wrong. Because I was pressuring her, that’s why she was breaking down in tears. I never actually had sex with her.”
The alleged sex assault happened in the early hours of June 14.
The young woman, who cannot be identified, had been out in Bournemouth, Dorset, with friends and Callender was also there.
She returned home alone around midnight, with Callender showing up uninvited a few hours later. She told the court she did not want him there but let him in as she didn’t want to disturb her housemates, adding that she said she made it clear she did not want to have sex and wanted to go to sleep.
The audio recordings played in court heard him say “I’m going to take it” and “why are you crying? You’re making me feel I’m raping you”.
Callender’s address was given as Britannia Hotel, one of three hotels in Bournemouth being used by the Home Office to house asylum seekers.
No details were given in court about how long he has been in the UK and Callender has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault.
The trial at Bournemouth Crown Court continues.
