Drama student ‘raped girl then texted: If you say anything I’ll kill myself ’
A STUDENT actor raped a 19year-old woman then threatened to kill himself if she told anyone, a court heard yesterday.
Jack Green, 19, who was studying at a leading drama school, allegedly forced himself on the tearful undergraduate after a drunken night out during freshers’ week.
When she texted him later to say she had said no ‘a million times’ he threatened to kill himself rather than go to jail, the jury was told.
Green’s messages said: ‘If you say anything I’ll kill myself… Just forget about it, it’s done, it’s in the past, leave it. I’d go to jail, I’d rather die. I’m going to jump.’
Manchester Crown Court was told Green had started his course at the Arden school of Theatre, Manchester, in the days before the alleged attack in september last year. Ex-students at the drama school include EastEnders actress Zoe Lucker, plus Coronation street stars Tracy shaw and Cherylee Houston.
Green was arrested when the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, returned to her own accommodation and confided in a friend. she told the jury: ‘It was a terrifying experience. I was scared – I was in a state of shock. He was forceful. I did tell him to stop but it was hard to speak when he had bitten my lip.
‘He gripped my neck at one stage. I couldn’t do anything. I didn’t want to have sexual intercourse with him but he didn’t stop.’
The court heard that, on the night of the attack, Green and the woman were among a group who had drunk vodka before going to the Fifth Avenue nightclub in Manchester.
‘I was tipsy and Jack was drunk as well,’ she said. ‘We danced together as a group. Jack told me he had seen a girl on the same course and told me he thought she was really good looking.
‘I said, “You already have a girlfriend,” but he was persistently trying to get off with her, and I was saying stop because she didn’t want to. He kissed me and I pushed him away after about a second.’
The group went back to Green’s room for food, but the pair were left alone and he locked the door.
The woman told police: ‘I was about six out of ten in terms of how drunk I was and he might have been a little bit more drunk. I said, “Get off me, stop,” and was pushing him on the chest – but he just said “shh” and carried on. I was crying and I had my hand over his mouth because I didn’t want to kiss him.
‘I was saying “no” but it didn’t have any impact. I was properly crying. I didn’t say much, I didn’t know what to do.’
The court heard friends banged at the door and Green quickly got dressed and claimed the girl was upset because another man had ‘hit on’ her. But in her statement she added: ‘I said, “stop lying.” He was saying, “I’ve got a girlfriend I’ll get in trouble forget about it.”’
Medics found a graze to her lower lip and an injury to an intimate area. Philip Dobson, prosecuting, said the texts Green sent to her afterwards were crucial.
He told the jury: ‘The complainant repeatedly pointed out that she didn’t want to do it and was saying, “No”. His response is very telling. If she had consented to the intercourse or he genuinely believed she had consented, you would expect him to reply, indignantly, contradicting her.’
The court heard Green, who denies rape, appeared to have a panic attack when officers came to his flat to arrest him.
Green, of Abertillery in south Wales, claimed he and the woman kissed in the nightclub before going to his room and starting to have sex before she said ‘no’ and he stopped. The trial continues.
‘He gripped my neck at one stage’