A young woman has alleged that she was repeatedly raped by an Asian man and one of his friends in a park, a court has heard. The 18-year-old victim told a friend that she felt like “killing herself” after the alleged attacks in Sutton Lawn park in Nottinghamshire last June.
Sheraz Malik, 28, of Pakistani descent, is on trial at Birmingham Crown Court, accused of three counts of rape against the teenager. He denies the charges, insisting the sexual encounter was consensual.
The court heard that the woman had been drinking in the park with a male friend before being left alone with Malik and a group of other men, who were unknown to her. One of Malik’s associates then allegedly took the woman to an isolated area of the park where he raped her.
Prosecutor Nicholas Corselli KC told the jury: “She was alone, drunk and was obviously a vulnerable person. The defendant and one other man decided to take advantage of this.”
It is claimed that Malik then took the woman to a secluded spot, where he physically struck her while raping her. Afterwards, the teenager sent a Snapchat message to her friend saying: “Please help me, two of them have tried it on with me… the one you told to look after me tried to rape me.”
Forensic examination found Malik’s DNA on the young woman. When arrested, Malik told officers “I haven’t done anything wrong” before declining to comment further.
Malik’s barrister, Simon Eckersley, said the defendant denies raping the woman and claims the sexual encounter was consensual.
The trial, which is expected to last five days, continues.
