Young man accused of raping girlfriend in Atlantis Bar Adelaide toilet cubicle
Young man, 24, accused of raping girlfriend in unisex bar toilet cubicle, tells court it was consensual ‘hook-up’
- Thomas Esposito, 24, is accused of raping a friend
- He denies one rape charge and told police it was consensual
- The process continues
A South Australian man has been charged with raping a friend in a bar toilet despite her pleas to rejoin her friends, a court has heard.
Thomas Esposito, 24, is on trial this week in South Australia District Court for the alleged attack on Atlantis Bar in Waymouth Street, Adelaide, in the early hours of March 21, 2021.
Mr Esposito denies the charge, telling police it was a consensual hook-up.
Thomas Esposito (pictured) has been accused of raping a friend. he denies the allegations
A prosecutor told the court that Mr Esposito – who knew the alleged victim – approached her at the scene and kissed her on the lips around 1am.
The court heard that after the alleged victim told her to go to the toilet, Mr Esposito took her hand and accompanied her to the unisex toilets.
Once in the toilets, Mr Esposito reportedly began kissing the alleged victim and touching her dress.
“He pushed her into another toilet cubicle and locked the door,” the prosecutor said The advertiser.
The court heard that Mr Esposito allegedly grabbed the woman by the shoulders and pushed her onto the toilets.
The prosecution said the alleged victim told him she wanted to see her friends and told him, “I don’t have sex in the toilet.”
But he reportedly became more aggressive towards her and kept trying to kiss her.
“He forced his knees between her legs so she couldn’t close them and he pulled out her underwear and inserted a finger into her vagina,” the prosecutor said.
Mr Esposito (pictured) reportedly told police it was a consensual hook-up
The court heard that the alleged victim immediately felt pain and jumped up and pushed past him.
“She will tell you that the suspect said something to her along the lines of ‘I promise I will take you back to your friends. It will be soon,'” the prosecutor said.
“When she reached her friends, she was seen crying and visibly upset.”
The court heard that the alleged victim and her friends left the club and reported the incident to the police.
The alleged victim was examined and found to have swelling and bruising, as well as torn underwear which the prosecution claimed was caused by Mr Esposito.
Mr Esposito, of Glynde in Adelaide, has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape.
The court heard that Mr Esposito told police during an interview that he had ‘hooked’ with the alleged victim in the toilet, but that it was consensual.
The judge-only trial for Judge Joanne Tracey continues.