THE prosecution in the case of a woman who was allegedly raped after a night out have suggested that the defendant has fabricated a story to try to explain his actions that night.

Fareed Issa Tariq, 32, of Hawfinch Close, has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and two counts of attempted rape, after an incident in the car park of Penzance Drive last July.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, claims the sexual attack took place after a night out in Swindon town centre celebrating a friend’s birthday.

The 32-year-old was walking home from the Casbah nightclub in the early hours of Sunday, July 17, with her friend when they were offered a lift by Tariq.

After dropping the friend off, the woman claims that Tariq drove past her house and went to the car park next to the Weighbridge restaurant.

It is then alleged that Tariq proceeded to lock the doors of his car and climb on top of the victim pinning her down against her will.

Tariq is said to have then raped the victim twice before she managed to leave the car and ran back to her home address where her boyfriend called the police.

The jury heard yesterday, on the fourth day of the trial, forensic evidence from Dr Martin Whittaker who said that the victim’s account of events was more probable than Tariq’s.

He said: “In my opinion it fits with the story.”

Tariq, a father of three, originally from Somalia, then took to the stand to give his account of events.

He claims to have danced closely with the woman in the Sir Daniel’s Arms pub before again dancing with her in the Casbah later the same evening.

Then, on his way home, he drove past the woman and her friend walking down Faringdon Road where he offered them both a lift.

Then, after dropping off her friend he claims that the woman started touching his thigh while he was driving and proceeded to pull down her trousers and knickers.

After missing a turning for the woman’s home he says he went to turn around in the car park where he stopped and the pair continued to attempt to have sex, which he claims was fully consented.

“She was not reacting like she didn’t want it so we carried on kissing and that is when I switched off the engine,” he said.

“She was not saying ‘don’t do it’.”

Prosecuting, Mrs Fiona Elder, though claims that from the moment Tariq saw the incident mentioned in a witness appeal carried in the Adver, he had fabricated a story to try and come up with an account that the jury would want to hear.

She said: “The reality is you can’t come up with conversation [for the journey] because other than direction, there was no other conversation was there?

“The suggestion she started undressing herself in your car is rubbish isn’t it?

“The reason you are telling us this today is because you are trying to make up a story you think we want to hear.”

The case continues.