A 20-YEAR-OLD who says she was raped in a hotel room gave evidence yesterday in Oxford Crown Court.

Kirankumar Solanki, of Cottesmore Road, Oxford, denies committing two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault on September 3 last year.

Opening the case Graham Smith, prosecuting, told the jury that the complainant was drinking at The Bridge nightclub in Hythe Bridge Street during the evening.

He said she became drunk, could not remember leaving the club, and woke up in bed with the defendant in the Victoria House Hotel, in George Street, Oxford.

Mr Smith said the woman, who was 19 at the time, struggled with the 29-year-old stranger – who she said was on top of her – and ran out into the street to get help.

The barrister said: “The prosecution case is that the defendant targeted this young girl, this vulnerable girl, and he took her there for one reason and one reason only – to have sex.”

But during her cross examination by defence barrister Claire Fraser, the complainant admitted after watching CCTV footage that her initial account to police was not true.

Miss Fraser asked: “Why did you tell the police that you were dragged and that you said no?”

The witness replied: “I wanted to be taken seriously by the police when I called them.”

Miss Fraser said: “So is it fair to say that you deliberately lied to the police about this aspect?”

She said: “I wasn’t trying to deliberately lie, but yes I guess.”

The trial continues.