Abdulay Espirito-Santo rape trial in Ipswich is retired

Ipswich Crown Court was told that Abdulay Espirito-Santo and the woman kissed before he allegedly lifted up her dress and removed her underwear, then pushed her onto a bed and raped her.

He also grabbed her by the neck and hair and bit her neck, said prosecutor Edward Renvoize.

Espirito-Santo, of Rendlesham Road, Ipswich, has denied orally and vaginally raping and assaulting the woman and causing actual bodily harm in 2021.

Mr Renvoize told the jury on Monday that delays in the criminal justice system had caused the case to take so long to come to trial.

He said the woman was drunk when she went to Espirito-Santos’ house in the early hours of the morning.

The couple had kissed and she had asked him if he had condoms.

He told her he didn’t get one and then allegedly grabbed her by the neck and pulled her hair as she tried to escape from him.

During the alleged incident, the woman reportedly told Espirito-Santo to “stop” and “get off her.”

When Espirito-Santo finished having sex with the woman, he allegedly asked her why she was crying, Renvoize said.

The court heard that a medical examination of the woman revealed bruising on her neck, consistent with her being grabbed by the neck, as well as injuries to her vagina.

Espirito-Santo told police that he had consensual sex with the woman and grabbed her hair because she asked him to.

He claimed that the woman told him she wanted his children.

In his testimony, Espirito-Santo claimed he stopped having sex with the woman when she told him to stop.

The jury retired on Thursday afternoon to give its verdict and will continue its deliberations on Friday.