‘Sex was consensual’ – teacher denies rapes at Christmas party
ATEACHER who is claimed to have raped two women at a gym Christmas party said sex with his accusers was consensual and “passionate”.
He also said he was “shocked” when he was told one of the women had accused him of forcing himself on her.
Jack Crosse, 32, of Heol Ysgubor, Caerphilly, denies raping the two women, who have lifelong anonymity, at the Willpower Weightlifting gym in Pontypool on December 13 and early hours of December 14 in 2019.
He is standing trial at Cardiff Crown Court, which was previously told that the Llanishen High School teacher forcefully raped his two alleged victims in an outbuilding.
Yesterday, Crosse gave evidence and was asked questions by his barrister, Kevin Seal, telling him he had been a member of the gym for two years and attended the Christmas party wearing a tuxedo.
He said he drank Jack Daniel’s and Coke throughout the evening and described himself as being “six out of 10” in terms of level of intoxication. and he claimed the alleged victim asked him to turn the light off.
He said they continued kissing and touching each other and he denied Mr Seal said: “Did you have an that she showed any resistance. agenda?” After a minute he asked if they
Crosse said: “The only agenda I had could have sex. was to have a good time with my Crosse said the woman bent over friends.” and he had sex with her.
The barrister said: “Were you planMr Seal asked: “Was there anything ning on having sexual intercourse?” to indicate to you verbally she did not
The defendant replied: “No, I was want this to happen? Was there any fresh out of a relationship so it was physical indication she did not want the last thing on my mind.” this to happen?”
During the course of the evening, The defendant said: “No, there Crosse admitted flirting with women wasn’t.” in the gym but denied grabbing anyAfter a minute he said he and the one on the backside or dragging peoalleged victim continued kissing and ple onto the dance floor. she said: “Let’s go back to the party”
He said he began talking to his first and he agreed, but they did not speak alleged victim and asked her if she to each other for the rest of the night, wanted to go somewhere “a bit quietwhich he found “strange”. er”. He said he went outside to smoke a
He added: “I didn’t expect anything cigar and became involved in a conlike this and I wasn’t used to female versation with his second alleged vicattention,tim.especiallyonnightsout...I thought I might get a kiss.” He said: “As I was talking she just
The defendant said he and the kissed me... It was really passionate.” woman walked to an outbuilding After going to the bar to get a drink, “hand in hand” and started kissing he said the second woman came up to him and they carried on kissing and they made their way to the same outbuilding.
He denied picking the woman up and carrying her to the building but said she went with him consensually.
Crosse said they continued kissing and touched each other before they jointly pulled her trousers down and they had sexual intercourse.
Mr Seal said: “Was there any indication verbally she didn’t want you to touch her or any physical indication she did not want you to touch her?” Crosse said: “No.”
After having sex for a minute, the defendant said, the woman told him she had to drop her friends home but would come back.
He said: “I said I’d like to see her again and she said she’d pass on her number to have a date next week... We both got dressed, we kissed, and she walked out of the room.”
The barrister added: “Did you take [the first alleged victim] into that redbrick building against her will? Did you lure her in there to rape her or force her to give oral sex against her will? Did you force her to have vaginal sex against her will?”
Crosse said: “No.”
Mr Seal said: “Did she persistently tell you she didn’t want to have sex or tell you ‘no’?”
Crosse said: “No.”
Mr Seal continued: “Did you force [the second alleged victim] into giving oral sex against her will? Did you force her against her will to have vaginal sex? Did you force yourself on her so she was trapped?
“At any time during sexual contact did you believe she was not consenting? Did you ignore her telling you ‘no’ at any time?”
Crosse said: “No, she didn’t say ‘no’ at any time. If she said no I would have stopped.”
In cross-examination, prosecutor Clare Wilks questioned the defendant about the first alleged victim.
She said: “The truth, Mr Crosse, is that girl was saying ‘no’ from the word go and you thought you would pressure her to go along with things.
“You’d overpowered her, hadn’t you?”
Crosse denied this.
The trial continues.