A 26-YEAR-OLD man accused of eight counts of rape has said he assaulted one of his alleged victims because he felt “frustrated and angry”.

Lewyn Rudge, of Valentia Road, Headington, denies the charges – as well as five counts of causing actual bodily harm – in relation to two women.

Graham Smith, prosecuting, told Oxford Crown Court that all the alleged offences took place between August 2008 and January last year.

Yesterday he questioned Rudge about an earlier assault on one of the complainants that he pleaded guilty to before the trial started.

He asked the defendant: “Why on earth did you kick her?”

Rudge replied: “I was emotional and upset – I regret what I did.”

Mr Smith said: “That is what you do isn’t it, you lash out?”

The defendant answered: “That is what I did.”

The barrister asked: “Were those also periods when you felt frustrated and angry with her?”

Rudge: “I would say so.”

But questioned about other alleged assaults and the rape charges he said they were not true.

Mr Smith asked him why he thought the complainant was making the claims up.

He said: “There is nothing you can think of that would make her come forward and tell all these wicked lies?”

Rudge said: “No.”

The trial continues.