A MAN wept in the witness box yesterday when he was asked to describe how he behaved with a prostitute he had taken to an east Belfast car park. After glancing up to the spectators gallery, Mr Geoffrey Brown put his head in his hands and was unable to continue until his wife left in tears.
Mr Brown (30), of Olde Forge Lane, Newtownards, Co Down, denies the rape and attempted buggery of the 25 year old woman he picked up behind Belfast City Hall last January 19th.
He told the Crown Court jury he had only been with a prostitute once before "a lot of years ago".
Mr Brown said when the woman told him "it" was £40 he thought he would get money from a bank cash machine, but was unable to do so.
He asked how much she would do it for. "She asked how much did I have and I told her £30 and she agreed to go with me."
The defendant said he had driven to a car park in Knocknagoney, handed three £10 notes to the woman and had sexual intercourse with her.
He denied the woman had made any complaint before he dropped her off, and when asked if he had threatened to cut her throat, answered: "Absolutely not". After police came to his home at 3 a.m. the next day and arrested him, he had admitted being with the prostitute and paying her £30.
He told the jury that at no time had the police said anything to him about the woman having £30.
During cross examination Mr Brown denied that he had decided to press ahead and "have his way with the woman" when he realised he would be unable to pay her.
Counsel - "I suggest it was obvious that at no stage was she consenting or agreeing to what was happening, and that she went along with it because you had covered her head and threatened to cut her throat?"
Mr Brown - "No. That is not true."
Closing submissions will begin this morning.