Oct 19 - Supreme Court Trial: Woman “Terrified” She Was Going To Be Killed Or Raped In Own Home
The target of an alleged attempted rape has said she was “terrified” she was going to be killed or raped in her own home. The woman, who is in her sixties, made the claim while giving evidence this morning at a Supreme Court trial.
On the second day of the trial, the jury heard how on the 18th March this year, Karim Rudge, 27, entered into the complainant’s home and made his way up to her bedroom shouting profanities. She was lying in bed watching Salvame Deluxe and looked up to see the defendant standing in the doorway of the bedroom holding a serrated-edged knife in his right hand.
The complainant claimed that Rudge, who faces one count of attempted rape and one count of trespass with the intention of committing a sexual offence, entered into the bedroom and held the knife to her throat and told her to perform oral sex on him.
The woman, who suffers from limited mobility, told him to allow her to sit up, adding that she’d told the defendant “I can’t do anything while I’m lying down, let me sit up” because she felt vulnerable at the time. She added that he was swaying the knife in his right hand and he sounded like he had either been drinking or under the influence of drugs.
The jury heard that while Rudge was fumbling with his trousers with his left hand, the woman shoved him with her two hands and left the bedroom to run downstairs but turned the lights off so that he wouldn’t be able to see.
The woman ran downstairs and called the police and then waited outside her house until someone came to help her.
In the meantime Rudge, who is represented by Elliott Phillips and Danielle Victor, was upstairs continuing to shout. Screams were heard on the CCTV footage played in court from the second bedroom belonging to the victim’s daughter and son-in-law, shortly before the accused is allegedly seen entering the room continuing to shout profanities.
Prosecutor Robert Fischel QC, who is assisted by Mark Clive Zammitt, said a police officer entered the house and a police dog was sent upstairs followed by police officers. Rudge was arrested shortly after. He was taken to New Mole House Police Station and was charged with attempted rape and trespass with the intention of committing a sexual offence – he denies both charges. He was also charged with one count of possession of a bladed article, for which he pleaded guilty.
An ambulance attended the scene as the woman had suffered a cut to her thumb which was bleeding.
The complainant said that since the incident, she has seen a counsellor and has been suffering from depression, adding that she hasn’t been able to sleep in her own home and is terrified at night.
The woman added: “It has all really mucked up my life.”
The trial, which is being heard by the Chief Justice Anthony Dudley, continues this afternoon with evidence from the complainant’s son-in-law and a neighbour.
{fcomment}
