Defendant in Portsmouth rape trial tells jury he had to '˜push off' alleged victim

Sam Ashley, giving evidence at Portsmouth Crown Court, said he was made to feel ‘uncomfortable’ after being on the receiving end of a ‘strong’ approach from one of his alleged victims before he gave in to intercourse.

Ashley, who is on trial accused of drugging four men and raping three of them in separate incidents spanning eight months, denied he had raped a student he met on gay dating app Grindr at his then home in Malta Road, North End.

Jurors heard the pair had earlier agreed to go jogging after the male met Ashley – formerly known as Sam Davis - only to wake to find the defendant ‘behind me having sex’.

Ashley, 30, of Lynton Gardens, Fareham, gave a different version of events today in court.

He said: ‘We were cuddling and then he went to kiss me. I was startled and felt uncomfortable as I just thought we were running partners.

‘He then kissed me again. Things were progressing faster than I would have liked.’

Ashley said a sex act followed before the alleged victim moved to have sex with him.

Ashley said the man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, tried a further sex act later after pulling down Ashley’s shorts.

‘I pushed him off. He wanted full sex and got on me,’ Ashley said.

The following morning the pair went for a run and there was ‘no tension’ between them, Ashley said.

Ashley is accused of drugging three other men, including one man with HIV, between April and December 2016. He denies four rapes, two attempted rapes, and four charges of administering a substance with intent.

Sleep drug zopiclone and diazepam were found in Ashley’s bedside cabinet when he was arrested, jurors previously heard.

(Proceeding)