A MAN accused of the ‘stranger rape’ of a young woman after walking her home from a Stratford night club will not stand trial until April next year.
Douglas Baddams pleaded not guilty at Warwick Crown Court to two charges of raping the young woman at her home after meeting her in the night club in September last year. The 28 year-old of Percy Street, Stratford, also denied other sexual assault related charges.
Prosecutor Robert Underwood, who said Mr Baddams was ‘of hitherto good character both here and in Australia,’ said it was estimated the trial would last up to five days.
And Mohammed Hafeez, defending, told the judge he needed to discuss a potential aspect of the trial further with Mr Baddams.
Judge Richard Griffith-Jones adjourned the case for the trial to take place in April, and extended Mr Baddams’ custody time limit until then.
At a previous hearing, when a bail application for Mr Baddams was rejected, the allegations were described as ‘stranger rape’ by barrister Sarah Allen, prosecuting on that occasion.
She said the young woman had been speaking to Mr Baddams in a night club in Stratford, and when she decided to leave, he offered to walk her home, and on the way they kissed.
But it is alleged that when they got to her home he persisted and began tearing at her tights before forcing his way in and sexually assaulting and raping her.
The court heard that Mr Baddams’ defence was there was ‘consensual sexual contact’ when they were in the area of her home, but he did not go inside and they did not have intercourse.
