Homeless woman beaten and raped twice, court hears

Liam Stimpson, 24, is standing trial accused of raping a homeless woman in Cardiff

Warning: Contains distressing content

A homeless woman begged her attacker to stop as she was stripped naked, beaten and raped twice in a city centre, a court has heard.

A jury at Cardiff Crown Court was told the 40-year-old woman was punched and kicked during the attack under a bridge near Cardiff Central train station in the early hours of 27 December last year.

Liam Stimpson, 24, from Cardiff, denies two counts of rape, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent and grievous bodily harm with intent.

The jury was shown videos on Wednesday, found on Mr Stimpson’s phone after his arrest, in which the woman begged for the alleged attack to stop.

In one, the woman could be seen to have a severely swollen and bleeding face, her right eye completely closed.

She lifted her hands to her attacker and said: "Don't beat me up baby, don't beat me please. I've got kids."

Mr Stimpson could be heard replying: "I'll tell you what to do. I'm the boss."

He then demanded she remove her coat, despite the cold and wet conditions.

The woman replied: "It's freezing."

The court usher passed tissues and glasses of water to the jury, made up of nine women and three men, as they watched the images on large screens.

'Petrified and broken woman'

Nicola Powell, prosecuting, said: "What you see is a petrified and broken woman who is simply too frightened and fearful to do anything other than what the defendant demanded of her.

"He battered her, humiliated and degraded her for his own sexual perversions."

The woman could then be seen, on CCTV images shown in court, running from the bridge into the junction of the city's St Mary Street at about 04:45.

She was chased, punched and repeatedly kicked on the ground.

Cleaning staff at the nearby Great Western Pub heard screams and shouts of "somebody help me, police, help", the court was told.

She was then seen running into the pub where a staff member took off their coat and hoodie and gave it to her.

The police arrived shortly afterwards.

Giving evidence in court, the woman said: "I remember he hit me to the head. It looked like a hammer. He hit me in the head several times, my eyes, my cheekbones.

"I remember waking up sore, under the bridge. He was laughing.

"When I came to he asked me to crawl like a dog.”

The alleged attack occurred under a bridge near Cardiff Central train station

The court was told Mr Stimpson was in the city centre on Boxing Day last year, celebrating his birthday, when he met the woman, who was a rough sleeper.

He befriended her, telling her he would get her something to eat if she would go with him.

Ms Powell said: "She came with her own issues and own vulnerabilities. It is risky and dangerous, for a woman living and existing on her own.”

In a prepared statement to police, Mr Stimpson said he had been approached by a woman working as a prostitute and paid for sex. He said it was consensual.

He then answered no comment to further questions from officers.

During cross-examination from defence barrister Ruth Smith, the woman said she had a crack cocaine addiction which stemmed from the death of a close family member, but added: "I don't sell myself, OK."

"I am mother, a grandmother and good woman. I am not a prostitute," she told the court.

Ms Smith put to her that she had made false allegations of rape in the past, which she denied.

The trial continues.