Man denies attacking and raping homeless woman

Liam Stimpson, 24, from Cardiff, is accused of raping a homeless woman

A man accused of raping a woman twice in Cardiff city centre and filming the attack on his phone has denied the allegations.

Liam Stimpson, 24, from Cardiff, said the 40-year-old woman told him she wanted "rough sex".

He told the jury at Cardiff Crown Court that she consented to sex and asked him to record it as part of sexual role play.

He denies two counts of rape, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and grievous bodily harm with intent.

Warning: Contains distressing content

He went into Cardiff on Boxing Day last year to celebrate his birthday with a friend.

He said he met the woman, who he described as a “working girl”, as he was walking through the city centre in the early hours of 27 December.

He said she offered him oral sex in a lane off St Mary's Street for £20.

Mr Stimpson also claims the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, stole £250 from him.

He told the court she consented to further sex and the pair walked under the railway bridge close to Cardiff central station.

In a series of video clips shown to the jury, the woman can be seen naked and bleeding with a swollen right eye and a bloody nose, which Mr Stimpson said were caused when she slipped and fell on the way to the bridge.

At one point in the video she is seen clasping her hands in prayer, tears streaming down her face and can be heard saying: "Don't beat me up baby, don't beat me up please."

Mr Stimpson claims they discussed what would happen in the role play before he began recording, telling the court that "everything was consensual".

He said: "She suggested the role play, she suggested I record it.

"She knew she was being recorded and she was playing up for the camera."

He told the court: "She could have left at any time of her own free will."

The trial continues.