Man, 44, accused of raping woman in car in Portchester denies offences in court

Ioan-Cristian Manole, 44 appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court this morning charged with rape and assault by penetration following an incident around 3am on Saturday April 15. It is alleged the woman in her 40s was raped in a vehicle around the Castle Grove area – south of Portchester Precinct.

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Romanian national Manole, of Alder Road in Southampton, entered not guilty pleas to both charges during the brief hearing. The lorry driver had his conditional bail extended with his electronic curfew terms varied for him to remain indoors between 8pm - 6am. The court heard this was to allow him to work as a lorry driver during the day and ‘provide financially for his family’.

Manole’s case was listed for trial at Portsmouth Crown Court later on November 27.

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A police spokesman previously said: ‘Police were called to reports a woman in her 40s had been raped in a vehicle.’