A man brutally raped a woman with cancer and then tried to cover his tracks by sending threatening letters to himself, a court heard.
Richard Day, 21, of Greenmere, Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, near Wallingford, denies two counts of rape.
Day is accused of dragging the 20-year-old from a house in Didcot before tying her up, beating her and hacking off chunks of her hair before raping her twice.
The alleged victim has since died from cancer, from which she had suffered for several years. In statements she described her attacker as wearing a balaclava and dark clothes.
A jury at Oxford Crown Court on December 6 heard that handwriting on threatening letters Day claims were posted through his letter box matched samples he gave to police.
Forensic scientist Jennifer Lewis told the court DNA samples of blood from a used condom found in Day's bedroom and a pair of torn blood-stained boxer shorts he was wearing matched the alleged victim.
The case continues.
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