A Co Cork man accused of rape told a jury in the Central Criminal Court yesterday an English woman enticed him to have sex with her in the open air despite his initial reluctance.
The 41-year-old homeless man said he was not "a Romeo or an Elvis Presley" but that she might have wanted a "strange man".
He said he did not want to make love to her for fear she might get pregnant. She got on top of him and removed items of her clothing. They made love for about 30 minutes until a woman walked by.
The alleged victim announced "the day is spoilt" and jumped up. "She started roaring and screeching and saying she wanted to get away. She was looking for sympathy".
He has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault of the 30year-old woman in a grassy area in a Cork town around midday on August 18th, 1997.
He told prosecution counsel Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC the woman needed a local address to use for the dole and wanted to stay with him. He told her he was sleeping rough on the streets.
Asked if he was saying this was the reason she complained he had raped her, the accused answered: "I think this is what really happened". He agreed he had just thought of this explanation minutes before while giving evidence.
He agreed that when interviewed by gardai on August 19th, 1997, he denied the rape. He told gardai: "I can go to another woman if I want to. She is on the game as well".
The accused also claimed the woman had been interested in his money. He had also suggested she use his sister's address for the dole. Before they had sex he had given her money to buy herself a bottle of cider and he drank a bottle of wine.
He claimed the woman had made sexual advances towards him at his sister's house. When they sat in the grassy area, she said she had not had sex for 12 months and she asked him to make love to her. She removed clothing to encourage him.
The trial continues.