Story By: Koen Berghuis, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
A man who allegedly raped a drugged teenager outside a nightclub with 10 friends returned to his own girlfriend inside the venue after the incident, a court has heard.
At the court in Freiburg, a university city in the south-western German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg, 11 suspects aged between 18 and 30 are standing trial for the alleged gang rape of an 18-year-old woman.
Timo P., 25, who is the only German suspect from the gang which consists of eight Syrians, one Algerian and one Iraqi, has decided to waive his right to remain silence in court unlike the 10 other suspects.
Pictures Credit: CEN & CEN/Facebook
He said: “It is always said that we pounced on her like monsters, but she knew what she wanted.”
Timo P. said that his 23-year-old Syrian pal Majd H., who is the main suspect in the case, told him that a woman was lying in the bushes outside of the Freiburg club when they were on a night out on 13th October last year.
Pictures Credit: CEN & CEN/Facebook
When he arrived outside, he saw the 18-year-old woman on the ground and recognised in her eyes that she had allegedly taken Ecstasy.
Timo P. claimed that the woman demanded sex and started to stroke his body.
He said that they had consensual sex and no violence took place.
Pictures Credit: CEN & CEN/Facebook
Afterwards, Timo P. returned to the club where his girlfriend was waiting for him.
Timo P. said: “Yes, I did something wrong. I cheated on my girlfriend and that is sh*t.”
However, the prosecutor’s office have accused Timo P. and the rest of the gang of rape, violence and degrading behaviour.
The indictment said that the victim was visibly experiencing spasms caused by the drugs and was crying throughout the whole ordeal.
She reportedly tried to fight off the suspects using her fingernails and sticks in the bushes, but was too weak to stop the attack.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the woman was given an Ecstasy pill beforehand and unknowingly had her drink spiked with an unspecified substance, reportedly by Majd H.
Majd H., who has a long criminal record, is considered the main suspect as he allegedly incited the others to rape the victim as well.
He reportedly lured the young woman outside under the pretext of showing her a tattoo on his thigh. When the victim turned to go back into the club, Majd H. allegedly grabbed her from behind, tore off her skirt and underwear and raped her.
Afterwards, Majd H. went back into the club and reportedly told his friends that “a woman you can f*ck” is waiting outside.
Two of the defendants reportedly raped her simultaneously during an ordeal that is said to have lasted two and a half hours.
However, Timo P. denied the main suspect incited the others and told the court: “Majd did not say that someone was waiting to have sex, he said that someone there needed help.”
The other 10 defendants have so far remained silent in court, although they instructed their lawyers to release a statement denying the accusations.
Majd H.’s lawyer Joerg Ritzel said: “The alleged perpetrator claims that sexual intercourse was not only consensual, but that she massively demanded it.”
Robert Phleps, the lawyer of another defendant, said: “All the accused have claimed the victim wholly demanded it.”
The suspects were reportedly identified through DNA samples and witness accounts, including nightclub staff.
Majd H., who is reportedly pictured in Syria with a machine gun on his social media profile, came to Germany in 2014 and already has one conviction in the European country that took him in.
Local media quoted his father as saying: “Majd became more aggressive after we fled and he has been in trouble with the police. He already has one conviction because he hurt someone.”
The trial is ongoing, with a verdict expected at the end of December.
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