A man accused of raping a Jehovah's Witness he met at a service told a jury he lied to police because he was confused.

Katshi Luputa, a married father-of-two, told detectives he had no sexual contact with the devoutly religious woman.

But while giving evidence at Lewes Crown Court, Luputa admitted he had not told the truth. He said: "I wasn't thinking straight. I was upset and confused.

"It was only when I was put behind bars I realised it was a serious matter and at that point I decided to start telling the truth."

Luputa, 30, of Glyndebourne Avenue, Saltdean, has denied raping and indecently assaulting the woman, who is in her 20s, at his former flat in Brighton in December last year.

She has accused him of tricking her into entering the empty flat in Beaconsfield Road after offering her a lift home when he saw her standing at a bus stop.

Once inside, she said, he pinned her down, stripped her and brutally raped her.

Luputa, who was born in Zaire, told the jury through an interpreter that he was surprised when she told him she did not want sex but suggested she performed a sex act.

Afterwards her attitude changed and he said her reaction may have been caused by the way he had spoken to her about being a virgin.

He said: "I told her I didn't believe she was a virgin. I didn't use a very friendly or nice tone.

"Maybe I should have been grateful to her for what she did for me but I was not."

The trial continues.