Bartolomeo Joly de Lotbiniere (pictured) is accused of raping a teenager while a student at York university
A University Challenge contestant accused of raping a teenage student allegedly followed her to the toilet before picking her up carrying her to her bedroom, a court heard.
Bartolomeo Joly de Lotbiniere, 22, is on trial accused of raping a student in June 2014 following the last night out of his first year at York university.
Speaking in a statement recorded in November 2015, an ex-boyfriend of the complainant – who dated her until January 2014 – described what she told him had happened.
The ex-boyfriend told Bradford Crown Court, West Yorks., he was still close with the complainant when she confided in him in October 2015.
While visiting him, the complainant told her ex-boyfriend she had been sexually assaulted by Joly de Lotbiniere – who is known to his friends as Barto.
He said: ‘She told me on the night out she had been sexually assaulted by Barto.
‘I remember she said that he was pleading with her to show him how to have sex because he had yet to lose his virginity.’
Also appearing in court today, a 22-year-old witness who described herself as best friends with the complainant said the next morning she had told her what happened.
She said the complainant, who cannot be named, was ‘very upset’ and ‘struggling to get the words out while on and off crying’ as she told her what happened.
The witness said the complainant was sitting on the floor, holding her knees and shaking as she confided in her.
The witness said: ‘She told me that Barto followed her to the toilet. She said that he was acting weird so she locked herself in the toilet for a while.
‘She said that when she came out, Barto was still there and tried to kiss her and grab her and picked her up and took her to her room.
‘Then he took her clothes off. She said she was telling him she didn’t want to have sex and telling him to stop and trying to push him away but it didn’t make a difference.
Joly de Lotbiniere is said to have told his alleged victim he was ‘helping her get over her ex-boyfriend’ while he sexually assaulted her
‘She said he brought condoms with him to the room, put one on and was then trying to have sex with her.
‘She was still saying that she didn’t want to, but they all but had sex.
‘She said he got up and left and said to her “this never happened” and told her not to tell anyone.’
The court had previously heard a claim by the alleged victim that Joly de Lotbiniere told her he was ‘helping her get over her ex-boyfriend’ while he sexually assaulted her.
The victim, speaking in a pre-recorded police interview, said Joly de Loteiniere kept telling her she needed to teach him how to have sex while he was assaulting her.
And when he left the room afterwards it is alleged the History student told his victim: ‘Pretend this never happened – tell no one about this.’
Prosecutor Gerald Hendron, QC, said the complainant ‘froze’ when Joly de Lotbiniere took off her clothes and carried her to the bed, before putting on a condom and ‘thrusting’ at her as she tried to push him off.
It is the prosecution’s case that the messages sent between the defendant and the complainant amount to an admission.
The case, which is expected to last another four days, continues.
Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.