Man 'woke to find MP Nigel Evans raping him'

Nigel Evans denies nine charges

A man who alleges the former deputy speaker Nigel Evans raped him was warned by colleagues he would "get Nigelled" before going to the MP's home, a court has heard.

The man, aged in his early 20s, claims he woke up to find the 56-year-old MP on top of him, and he was then raped as he lay "in shock".

The man told Preston Crown Court he "froze still" and "couldn't move" during the attack.

Mr Evans denies nine sex charges.

The incident is said to have taken place after the complainant attended a dinner party last year at Mr Evans's home in his Ribble Valley constituency.

'Bad decision'

Colleagues had previously warned him he would get "Nigelled", but he was not overly worried, he told the court, giving evidence behind a screen.

The court heard the man say he had not invited or wanted any sexual contact but he said he got under the covers with Mr Evans after he was "escorted" to his bedroom.

He was asked by prosecutor Mark Heywood QC why he had followed the MP into his bed when his intention had been to sleep alone in an attic at the address in the village of Pendleton.

The witness replied: "I don't know. Now in hindsight, it was stupid but at the time I did not see that it would necessarily lead to something more.

"It was a bad decision but I didn't rationalise it at the time."

The complainant went on to describe numerous attempts by the MP to engage in sexual activity while they were in bed together during the night which he brushed away.

The man later woke up and told the court: "I felt Nigel on top of me, trying to force himself into me. I was face down."

He added: "I didn't move at all. I couldn't move... in shock.

Mr Evans denies one rape, two indecent assaults and six sexual assaults. The trial continues.