A Jamaican musician denied in the Central Criminal Court yesterday that he earned money by being a gigolo. The court has heard the 29year-old man was in Ireland for some time before meeting a 35year-old Dublin woman who worked for a religious order. Within weeks they moved into a flat in Dublin and she paid for everything.
Ms Maureen Clark SC, prosecuting, asked him if he earned money for his travelling by being a gigolo and he replied: "I was not a gigolo."
He has pleaded not guilty before Mr Justice Carney to rape and assault of his former girlfriend in their flat in the early hours of August 25th, 1996. He has pleaded guilty to biting her on the back on September 12th, 1996.
The accused man said he had walked out of a party he attended with her on the night of August 24th, 1996. She was angry with him when they came back in the flat and she attacked him. She fell over as he fended off her blows and she may have sustained bruising as a result. He did not rape her. He said he had gone to a nightclub to "drown his sorrows" and the next day he left. Later he returned on her request. He finally moved out on September 3rd, 1996, but remained on good terms with her even though he told her he had met a woman from Limavady, Co Derry.
He agreed he had sent her a card with "I do love you" written in it to apologise for biting her.
The relationship with the woman from Limavady broke up when his former girlfriend rang the woman claiming he owed her £300, the figure was £3,000, he said.
He said he was surprised when the alleged victim came to see him in Mountjoy Prison this year. He denied telling her: "I love you and you have to marry me."
The trial continues.