A RAPE trial has started at Oxford Crown Court where a man is accused of assaulting his friend after drinking alone together.

Ethan Allsford has been charged with one count of rape after allegedly assaulting a woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, in Chipping Norton on March 20, 2021.

A 12-strong jury heard that the pair had been drinking together at Allsford’s home before the alleged incident happened.

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However, Allsford, of no fixed abode, has denied the offence, stating that any sexual activity between the two was consensual.

During the trial opening on Monday (June 17), the jury heard that the woman had gone over to Allsford's home to ‘consume alcohol together’.

She had taken an overnight bag as she had intended to stay over but it was alleged the plan was for her to sleep upstairs and Allsford to sleep on the sofa, the court heard.

The prosecutor said that it was ‘perfectly normal’ for the pair to drink together and ‘no sexual advances’ were made throughout the evening.

It is alleged that Allsford told the girl he would compare all his girlfriends to her and she replied that she ‘loved him but they were just friends’.

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Later in the evening, the girl went upstairs to bed and claimed that Allsford followed her before touching her inappropriately.

She told police she had turned to Allsford and said: “I’m really sorry, we’re friends, we’re not having sex’.

However, Allsford allegedly continued to go on and rape the woman, causing her to ‘freeze in shock’ before telling him to ‘f*** off’.

The jury were told that the woman had sent a message to her friend shortly after, reading: “I just need to confess that I woke up with Ethan having sex with me and I did not consent.”

Addressing the jury, the prosecutor said: “You’re going to have to ask yourself why is it if the sexual activity was consensual did she message her friend?”

It was heard that the woman then returned to the bedroom where Allsford allegedly engaged in ‘normal conversation’ and the pair began singing songs together and made ‘quite a racket’.

“She didn’t really know what to do but thought she would handle the situation,” said the prosecutor.

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It was heard that Allsford had allegedly asked the woman to watch pornography with her but she said no and told him to watch it on his own.

The day after, the woman was picked up by her friend and made a police report at about 11am.

The trial, which is estimated to take three days, continues.