An accused rapist broke down in tears at the Old B
An accused rapist broke down in tears at the Old Bailey today (tue) as he vehemently denied a catalogue of sex crimes levelled against him by a teenage girl.
As a series of disgusting accusations were put to Michael Prince, 34, he became so distraught that Judge Richard Hawkins, QC, adjourned for ten minutes so he could compose himself.
Prince was in the middle of denying a string of allegations including one that he subjected the pretty 19-year-old to an serious sex assault.
He also branded a series of unsavoury accusations against him as ‘ridiculous.
‘
The Crown claim Prince, 34, put the girl through the revolting ordeals after threatening to send her onto the streets to work as a prostitute.
Prince even smashed the timid teenager in the mouth and made her perform a sex act while she bled from her lip, jurors heard.
Prosecutor Geoffrey Birch said Prince would slip from being the perfect gentleman to an aggressive thug who would treat the 19-year-old as a ‘play thing or a mere possession.
‘
But giving evidence Prince told the court how the teenager made the sickening allegations against him after he ended their fling in July last year.
Prince explained that she fell for him during Christmas time 1997 after they met in the Saracen Head pub in Bedford.
At the time he was living with his longterm girlfriend but he admitted going back to the 19-year-old’s flat for secret sex sessions.
However, he said the girl became ‘obsessive and jealous’ about him and could not stand him talking to other women.
And Prince told the jury how she demanded that he leave his lover ‘Jo’ for her.
He said she was so crazy about him that in a pub she came up to him and burst into song:
‘She started singing ‘You will always be my baby’ the Maria Carey song.
She was crying and trying to get my attention.
It was about the time of Valentine’s Day last year.
‘
Prince told the court: ‘I started seeing less of her and avoiding her.
She wanted Jo out of the way from day one.
That was one of the problems as well.
‘But everyone knows I would never give up Jo.
That was the basis of our relationship.
If we were going to do anything on the side, even though it was wrong, she would have to accept that Jo was my number one.
I would never give up Jo for anyone.
‘
Prince said he helped the teenager out in a number of ways, including helping her to move home twice and lending her money.
He told the court how last year he tried to end the fling a number of times but she said she would ‘hunt him down.
‘
Prince admitted that they continued to ‘make love’ on a regular basis despite his efforts to end their affair.
Finally on July 15 he said, during a row, the teenager flew into a violent rage, and started punching him in the face.
‘I lashed out at her hitting outwards,’ he said.
I lashed out more than once.
She was still throwing blows at me.
It was only when I got into the bedroom and it stopped that I could see her lip was bleeding.
‘
He said minutes later the front door slammed and he never saw her again.
Two hours later Prince was arrested, the court heard.
Pressed by his barrister about a series of sex allegations made by the young woman he simply said the claims were ‘not true.
‘
Asked if he ever performed an unnatural sex act (anal sex) on the teenager he replied:
‘I have never done that with her or anybody else.
‘
And quizzed about the most unpleasant allegations he burst into tears and blurted out: ‘It’s not true.
It’s ridiculous.
‘
Prince, of Devizes Avenue, Bedford, denies (anal) rape, two indecent assaults and one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Those offences date between September 1, 1998 and July 15 last year.
But the jury heard that he has admitted one charge of assault causing actual bodily harm in respect of the July 15 incident.
The trial continues.
ends
