Nick Crawshaw’s retrial on a series of sex offences, including six rapes, has begun.
The Chester man faces allegations of raping women in Grosvenor Park and a nightclub toilet and that some of his alleged victims were underage girls.
Crawshaw, 23, of West Street, Hoole, was in the dock for the first day of his trial at Warrington Crown Court on Tuesday (October 4).
He faces six counts of rape, three of sexual assault and two charges of assault by penetration between 2010 and 2012 from eight alleged victims.
After being sworn in, the jury were told a previous panel could not reach a conclusion on Crawshaw’s guilt in an earlier trial.
Three of the complainants have come forward since.
Judge Tina Landale told the jury: “Some of you may have come to this courtroom with assumptions about sexual offences.
“People may have preconceptions of what sort of person is a rapist, what sort of person is not a rapist.
“Please leave behind any assumptions and keep an open mind. The experience of the court tells us there is no stereotype of a rapist.”
The first complainant in the case alleges Crawshaw twice sexually assaulted her, once at his home and once at her school, when she was underage between January and May 2010.
They both went to the same Chester high school and claim the defendant groped her and tried to kiss her on both occasions.
Crawshaw disputes the incidents ever happened and says he did not know her.
The second alleged victim says Crawshaw raped her in an alleyway during the same time period also while she was underage.
He attacked her in the secluded spot after she had left a friend’s house to meet him, the court heard. Crawshaw says the incident has been made up.
The third complainant has alleged she was raped in a bush in Grosvenor Park when she was under the age of 16. The defendant says it never happened.
A fourth alleged victim claims Crawshaw sexually assaulted her in July or August of 2010.
She said they had met at a gathering at a friend’s house and had earlier been ‘insinuating’ they go upstairs and have sex. Later he forced her hand down his trousers, the jury were told.
Crawshaw says it never happened.
The fifth complainant said she was raped by Crawshaw in his bedroom at his mother’s house also in July or August of 2010.
On this count Crawshaw says they did have sexual contact, but it was consensual.
Another alleged victim came forward after seeing coverage of Crawshaw’s previous trial. She says they had met for the first time at a gathering at his mate’s house.
He forced himself on her when she was drunk, despite her telling him she did not want to, and left her ‘unable to process what had happened’, the court was told. Crawshaw says it was all consensual.
The seventh complainant alleges Crawshaw raped and assaulted her in the same spot in Grosvenor Park, in either March or April of 2012.
They had previously had a sexual relationship, but ‘just because you have sex with someone once does not mean you are entitled to again’, the court heard.
Crawshaw says the alleged incident never happened.
The eighth complainant says Crawshaw raped her in Cruise nightclub in July 2012.
She said the defendant pulled her into a toilet and had sex in a ‘sudden and forceful manner’ without her consent.
Crawshaw denies ever being in Cruise on the night in question, but the prosecution claim they have picture evidence which proves it.
Judge Landale is presiding in the case, with Crawshaw defended by Mark le Brocq and Simon Mills acting as prosecution counsel.
Mr Mills said: “He is saying all eight women have chosen to tell lies about him. It would take an extraordinary series of circumstances for that to be true.”
The trial at Warrington Crown Court continues.
