Crown evidence ‘deceitful’

A man accused of raping a woman in her home says the woman’s evidence was ‘‘deceitful’’ and people may have conspired against him.

He also gave an explanation for his semen being on the woman’s nightgown.

Peter James Ross, 38, gave evidence in his defence in the Palmerston North District Court on Friday, where he has been on trial for the past week for allegedly raping a woman in Feilding in June 2016.

The Crown alleges Ross went into the woman’s bedroom while her husband was sober driving someone across town, raped her, then sobbed before falling asleep.

Forensic testing found Ross’ semen on the nightgown the woman said she was wearing that night, but not on a fleece top she wore over the top.

Ross said the woman, who cannot be named, confided in him often.

‘‘[She and her husband] had a rocky relationship.

‘‘He was quite abusive – emotional and psychological abuse.

‘‘He likes to dominate relationships.’’

Ross said the woman grew close to him, at one point kissing him at a party.

Another time, he took her on a trip to Whanganui and she made advances toward him, and she would send flirtatious and sexual text messages, he said.

Ross did not deny being at the woman’s house on the night of the alleged rape, but said he never left the property like the woman’s husband said.

Instead, he stayed there and was pulled by the woman into her bedroom.

She then performed a sex act on him, during which he ejaculated, he said.

That was a different story to what he told police in a recorded interview.

He did not give an explanation for semen being found on the woman’s nightgown.

The forensic testing that found it was his had not been completed by the time of the interview.

Ross said he was uncomfortable giving details in the interview, as he feared word would get back to his partner or the woman’s husband.

He was also uncomfortable talking to a female detective about sexual issues, he said.

But, Crown prosecutor Truc Tran accused Ross of changing his story as issues came up to fit his narrative.

Tran also noted the semen should have ended up on the woman’s fleece top if Ross ejaculated as he had told the court.

‘‘If we believed your story, then I would have thought it would make common sense for there to be sperm on the top.

‘‘You are just trying to wiggle your way out of this situation.

‘‘When I point something out, you just wiggle your way out.’’

Ross said he did not remember her wearing the top. He also did not accept the woman’s statement, describing it as ‘‘deceitful’’.

The trial, before Judge Stephanie Ross and a jury, continues.