Man told police he did not rape girl, 19, in Telford

The 19-year-old victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered two epileptic seizures when she was attacked near Telford International Centre in the early hours of July 27 last year.

She had earlier been enjoying a night out at the Thomas Botfield pub and later Vox nightclub in the town centre, Shrewsbury Crown Court had earlier been told.

Eastern Europeans Andrius Grikpedis, of Turreff Avenue, Donnington, Telford, and 29-year-old Tomas Paplauskas, of no fixed address, each deny two charges of rape.

The prosecution alleged that there was DNA evidence linking the two men with the rapes and CCTV showed they were in the area at the time.

But in police interviews read out in court yesterday, Grikpedis told officers after he was arrested that he was not responsible.

The 34-year-old told police he had only been in England for a month before the attack happened and would go out to bars and clubs in Telford twice a week.

He was given a description of the victim by officers and asked: "Do you remember this girl that I have described to you?"

"No," Grikpedis replied.

"Andrius, are you responsible for this attack," the officer continued.

"No," he said.

Police asked him: "So you don't know anything about this attack?"

Grikpedis replied: "No, certainly not."

He was told during the interview that Paplauskas had already been arrested and charged and, though he admitted he knew him, said he had only met him since coming to England.

Officers said: "The second man is not you then, Andrius?"

"No, no, certainly not," he replied.

Previously, the trial had heard the alleged victim had been at Vox nightclub at Telford town centre with friends before leaving alone and walking in the direction of the International Centre.

She said she recalled being followed by the two men and being dragged into bushes before blacking out due to her epilepsy. She said when she woke up the two men were raping her and then she blacked out again.

The trial continues.