Katie Price's stepfather denies rape charges at Chichester court

Paul Price, of North Drive, Angmering, West Sussex, has denied two charges of rape in the case being heard at Chichester Crown Court.

His TV reality star step-daughter has been named as a witness in the trial.

Gabrielle Henty, prosecuting, said that the 53-year-old fence erector and his wife Amy had been on a group night out in Worthing on the night of March 21 last year.

She said that they had gone out for drinks before going to the Imperial Chinese restaurant for a meal.

Afterwards, the defendant and his wife got into a taxi with the complainant and her husband but shortly afterwards the alleged victim began to feel ill.

Ms Henty said Price and the complainant got out of the taxi, which continued on its journey to the defendant’s home with his wife and the complainant’s husband still inside.

She said the complainant ‘was feeling most unwell and she went on to the beach where she was sick.

‘Immediately afterwards the defendant held her hand and began kissing her.’

Ms Henty said that a short while later: ‘The defendant pulled her towards him saying ‘Come here’, he started kissing her then he grabbed her hand and put it on his genital area.’

She said that he then put his hand on her breast, said he wanted her to perform a sex act, and then sexually assaulted her.

Ms Henty said the alleged victim ‘said that her husband was looking for her and they needed to get a taxi’ but the defendant ‘led her by the hand to a darker area, twisted her arm up’ and raped her against a tree.

She said: ‘She told him to stop but he continued thrusting, he was having difficulty maintaining an erection and stopped.’

Ms Henty said the pair then managed to get another taxi heading back to the defendant’s home.

She said: ‘Price took advantage of her when she was alone and in a strange town, on both occasions he ignored her calls to leave her alone.’

She added that when she was reunited with her husband, the complainant told him what had happened and they returned to their own home.

Two days later she sought medical help and then made a complaint to police, the court heard.

In police interview, Price said that the complainant had been a ‘willing participant’ on both occasions and said the intercourse had stopped because ‘he couldn’t get an erection.’

The trial continues.