A Somalian asylum seeker is accused of a violent sex attack on a woman in Swindon.
Gabre Wounose, 19, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court today (1 June) charged with rape.
Prosecutor Pauline Lambert alleged the defendant approached a sex worker in Manchester Road and offered her £40 for sexual intercourse at around 8pm on Monday (30 May).
The pair returned to the man’s address following a 30-minute walk but instead of collecting the woman’s money from his bedroom, he emerged with a knife.
It’s alleged that Wounose told the woman to do as he said and made threats.
It’s claimed she obeyed his orders, but he became angry when he struggled to maintain an erection during the rape. He allegedly placed the knife against the woman’s neck saying: “You shout or make a move, I’ll kill you”.
Following the alleged rape, the sex worker ran to nearby Harper’s Steakhouse, in Penzance Drive, where staff alerted the police.
Ms Lambert asked the magistrates to remand him in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing at Swindon Crown Court in July.
Defence solicitor Terry McCarthy said his client, of Saltash Road, Rodbourne, denies the rape – claiming it was consensual sex- and denies using a knife during the activity. He asked for the defendant to be released on bail.
But the magistrates decided the list of bail conditions put forward by the defence did not allay their fears and Wounose was remanded in custody.
