A 24-year-old accused of raping a female friend in a bar’s unisex bathroom tells court it was a consensual ‘hookup’
- Thomas Esposito, 24, is charged with allegedly raping a friend
- He denies a rape charge and told police it was consensual
- the trial continues
A South Australian man has been accused of raping a female friend in a bar bathroom despite her begging him to join her friends, a court has heard.
Thomas Esposito, 24, is on trial in the District Court of South Australia this week for the alleged assault at Atlantis Bar on Waymouth Street, Adelaide, in the early morning of March 21, 2021.
Mr. Esposito denies the charge, telling police it was a consensual “connection.”
Thomas Esposito (pictured) has been charged with allegedly raping a friend. he denies the charges
A prosecutor told the court that Mr. Esposito, who knew the alleged victim, approached her at the scene and kissed her on the lips around 1 a.m.
The court heard that after the alleged victim said she needed to use the bathroom, Mr. Esposito took her hand and walked her to the unisex bathrooms.
Once in the restrooms, Mr. Esposito allegedly began kissing the alleged victim and touching her dress.
“He pushed her into a different bathroom stall and locked the door,” the prosecutor said, according to the advertiser.
The court heard that Esposito allegedly grabbed the woman by the shoulders and pushed her toward the bathrooms.
The prosecutor said the alleged victim told him she wanted to go see her friends and told him: ‘I’m not going to have sex in the bathroom.’
But he allegedly became more aggressive towards her and kept trying to kiss her.
“He forced his knees between her legs so she couldn’t close them and took off her underwear and inserted a finger into her vagina,” the prosecutor said.
Esposito (pictured) reportedly told police it was a consensual “hookup.”
The court heard that the alleged victim felt immediate pain and jumped up and pushed him.
“She will tell you that the defendant told her something like ‘I promise I’ll take you back to your friends. It will be quick,'” the prosecutor said.
“When she got to her friends, she was observed to be crying and visibly upset.”
The court heard that the alleged victim and her friends left the club and reported it to the police.
The alleged victim was examined and found to have swelling and bruising, as well as torn underwear that the prosecutor said was caused by Mr. Esposito.
Esposito, from Glynde in Adelaide, has pleaded not guilty to a rape charge.
The court heard that Esposito told police during an interview that he had “hooked up” with the alleged victim in the bathroom, but it was consensual.
The solo judge trial before Judge Joanne Tracey continues.