A teenager said to have been raped by Joseph Eubank is accused of lying about it, a trial has heard.
The young woman was out celebrating a friend’s birthday the night the alleged attack took place on July 16, 2022.
Jurors at Lewes Court Court heard on Monday how the teenager had been drinking vodka with friends in Brighton before they got separated and she was approached by a man she had never met before while she was looking for her lost phone.
She told police she was so drunk she could barely stand when the 27-year-old aggressively grabbed her wrist and dragged her onto the stone beach.
Kate Blackwell KC, defending Eubank, son of former boxing champion Chris Eubank Snr today told the young woman the truth was she was “up for it” and made up the attack to cover up losing the new phone from her parents.
The young woman - who cannot be named for legal reasons - said it was “absurd” to suggest she exaggerated what happened to cover up the missing phone.
The court heard she was 16 and had a new iPhone and was worried about losing it.
“You knew you had been up for what happened on the beach with Mr Eubank,” Ms Blackwell said.
“No,” the young woman said.
“I have to suggest to you that you were not as drunk as you told the jury and you knew exactly what you were doing," Ms Blackwell continued.
“I was very drunk, I was only 16, I was extremely drunk,” the young woman said.
“You have exaggerated what happened to you in order to get yourself out of trouble with your parents,” Ms Blackwell said.
“No,” the young woman replied.
Beverly Cripps, prosecuting, asked the young woman what she thought would happen if her parents found out she had lost her new phone.
“It’s absurd to say I lied because of my phone,” she said.
Her phone was found and retuned the day after, the court heard.
READ MORE: Girl said Chris Eubank Snr's youngest son dragged her across beach and raped her
Giving evidence behind a screen in the court, the young woman denied the sex was consensual.
“The touching and kissing continued and developed and you gave him oral sex,” Ms Blackwell said.
“You said he was forcing you, did you tell him you didn’t want to do that?”
“I don’t remember saying anything,” the woman said.
“I have to suggest he didn’t force you,” Ms Blackwell said.
The tearful young woman said: “I was really disoriented and I was really confused as to what was happening.
“It was just a lot and I didn’t know what to do or how to stop it.”
The young woman used a friend’s phone to contact her mum in the early hours following the incident.
Ms Blackwell said: “The message to your mum on Instagram said: ‘I’m sorry for not being able to tell you this in person. I was raped on Brighton beach and I’m pretty sure he stole my phone. I really love you and dad’.
“You knew he hadn’t stolen your phone.”
The woman said: “I didn’t know where my phone was. In my drunk state, I was so out of it and upset. I didn’t know who had my phone.”
Ms Blackwell said: “You were lying about the situation.
“You were lying about being raped in order to get yourself out of trouble for losing your new phone.”
“No,” the young woman said.
Eubank, of Hill Drive, Hove, denies two counts of rape.
The trial at Lewes Crown Court continues.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article