A trial has commenced in Belfast concerning a 50-year old man accused of the rape of a woman he met on a dating website.
Mohammad Khader Abdel Aqel has been charged with, and has denied, sexually assaulting the woman in her flat in June 2022.
With an address at Harrogate Street in Belfast, Aqel - who is originally from Jordan - claims the sexual intercourse was consensual.
A jury at Belfast Crown Court heard Aqel and the 48-year old woman first came into contact with each other on the Plenty of Fish app.
Crown barrister Gary McHugh KC said they exchanged messages for a period before an agreement was made to meet for the first time in her flat.
Aqel arrived at the property. After they hugged, the woman offered Aqel a cup of tea. He refused this offer then asked if she would show him around the flat.
Mr McHugh said the woman was "quite happy to oblige" then she told him she needed to use the bathroom.
After this, she walked into her bedroom - where she found Aqel naked and in her bed. He undressed her then she got into bed where consensual kissing and intimate touching occurred.
Mr McHugh told the jury: "At that point the accused was seeking intercourse and she told him that he must use a condom - she insisted that if they were to have sex, he was to use a condom."
It's the Crown's case that despite the woman telling Aqel she had condoms, Aqel told her 'I am a clean man' several times and did not put a condom on.
Mr McHugh said she repeatedly told Aqel ‘no’ - but he “ignored her protestations”.
The prosecutor said the woman “withdrew her consent” but “the accused proceeded” and the incident only came to an end when she slapped him across the face.
Aqel was arrested the following day and when questioned about the rape allegation, he issued a statement via his solicitor.
His statement said: “I can confirm that I had consensual sexual intercourse with (the woman).”
Mr McHugh said Aqel was interviewed by police again on July 7 2022 when “with one limited exception, he replied ‘no comment’ throughout.”
At hearing.