This is Plymouth --A FOOTBALLER has told a rape trial jury that an 18-year-old girl was keen to have sex in his car and appeared to be enjoying it.
Former Plymouth Argyle and Tiverton Town striker Liam Head says it was the girl and not him who initiated much of the sexual activity during a date they arranged through Facebook.
Head, who was 19 and playing for Argyle at the time, said he had exchanged saucy texts with the girl before picking her up in his car in Chudleigh. He says she suggested going to the town's cricket field car park and then moving to a lay-by in a dark and isolated country lane because she was worried they may be spotted.
Head, of Newton Road, Bovey Tracey, denies rape. He is a former England Under 16 and 17 international who played for Plymouth Argyle until being sent on loan to Tiverton Town and Forest Green Rovers. He now plays for Bovey Tracey.
The jury at Exeter Crown Court has been told he and the girl had known each other a few years earlier but lost touch until he sent a Facebook message. They exchanged texts which led to a meeting on the night of the alleged assault. She wanted to go to a club but he said it was forbidden by his club's training regime and he drove to the car park at Chudleigh Cricket Club.
The girl told the jury she kissed him but told him to stop when he progressed to more intimate contact. She said she made it clear she would not have sex with him on a first date.
The prosecution say he would not take no for an answer and ordered her to have sex with him in the back of his car.
Head said the girl had been a willing participant throughout. He said: "There was no resistance, physical or verbal. None at all. She did not say anything. I believed she was enjoying it. She asked me if I realised there was CCTV and suggested we move. I did not know the area at all but it was she who suggested turning left into the country lane. It was both of us who decided to stop in the lay-by. It was pretty dark there. She asked me not to tell anyone but she did not say anything about being sex buddies.
"She came out and said that if I had a condom she would sleep with me."
Head said he had one in the driver's pocket and she then climbed into the back seat first and he followed and that she agreed to everything that happened afterwards.
The trial continues. Reported by This is 3 hours ago.