Man rapes student in Q1 unit, court told

A SURFERS Paradise man promised to help an international student get a job but instead he raped her in his Q1 apartment, a court was told.

It is alleged the 19-year-old woman said “no” repeatedly and at one point gave in because she was scared.

Robert John Clarke, 43, pleaded not guilty in the Southport District Court yesterday to two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault.

Crown prosecutor Michael Mitchell said Clarke met the 19-year-old Laos student on a Surfers Paradise street just eight months after she moved to Australia in December 2016.

The court was told Clarke promised her help with her resume and took her to his Q1 unit on a number of occasions.

Moments after the woman entered his unit on August 23, 2017, it is alleged Clarke pulled off the woman’s dress, touched her breasts and carried her to his bedroom.

“She said, ‘no, no, no, I don’t want to go’,” Mr Mitchell said.

It is alleged Clarke tried to perform oral sex on the woman before raping her twice.

“She tried to push him away and was scared of what he would do to her,” Mr Mitchell said.

The court heard the woman told a friend and two staff members at the language school about the alleged incident the next day.

Mr Mitchell said she was worried about being pregnant.

The language school employees took the woman to police.

The jury of seven men and five women was also told the woman sent Clarke a text message, in broken English, saying she was worried about pregnancy. The texts also said she did not enjoy what had happened, it is alleged.

Defence barrister Tony Kimmins, instructed by Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, said Clarke was trying to help the woman gain employment.

The trial continues today.