Man raped girl in park, court hears

The 14-year-old girl was attacked in Houndwell Park in Southampton, the jury was told

A 43-year-old man raped and sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in a park within minutes of meeting her outside a pub that she was trying to get into, a court has heard.

Nicholas Foreman, of Christchurch, Dorset, is charged with three counts of rape, one of sexual assault, and four alternative charges of sexual activity with a child.

Charles Gabb, prosecuting, told the jury at Winchester Crown Court that the defendant encountered the girl outside the Standing Order Wetherspoon pub in Southampton on the evening of 15 February, and they then went to Houndwell Park where she was attacked at about 22:30 GMT.

Mr Foreman denies all eight charges.

Mr Gabb said the "temptation that she presented to him, he was just unable to resist, and he embraced that temptation with gusto".

He added: "Just 26 minutes it took from the very first time that these two have ever clapped eyes on each other to the time the deeds had been done."

Mr Gabb said afterwards the girl made excuses to get away from the defendant, and members of the public called police when they saw her in a "distressed" state.

He added that the defendant then sent a message to his fiancee to say he was coming home while he attempted to order a taxi.

The girl was trying to get into a Wetherspoon pub when Mr Foreman encountered her

Mr Gabb said that the defendant denied the charges and told police in an interview that he believed that she was aged over 18 and had consented to the sexual acts.

He told the court: "He then subsequently maintained to state that she had instigated everything, therefore shifting the responsibility to this child away from him, effectively saying she started it."

Mr Gabb added that Mr Foreman told police: "I do not believe in rape, I am a family man and it's just not something I would participate in at any level."

The trial continues.