England Under 20 rugby player tells cops it was ‘rough sex’ with student he is accused of assaulting – ‘not rape’
Newcastle Falcons ace Zach Kibirige is accused of subjecting woman to an hour-long ordeal at her flat
A RUGBY ace Zach Kibirige told cops that a woman he is accused of raping was "forceful and passionate" with him, a court heard yesterday.
Newcastle Falcons and England under-20s winger Kibirige, 21, met the student through dating app Tinder and went to her house after she invited him round for a "film and cuddle".
Within minutes of his arrival they were kissing in her bedroom, it was said.
She later told police that he put his hands around her neck and said: "You know you want this" as he repeatedly raped her.
But he told officers that everything that happened during their hour-long sex session was consensual, Newcastle crown court heard yesterday
He said: "We were biting each other on the neck and ears, we were pulling each other's hair, we were holding and grabbing.
"She was forceful and passionate, I was as well, but it was reciprocal. I was thinking not to be too soft or too rough. I was not too rough.
"She told me 'you are going to have to try harder than that'. It was dirty or teasing, that I had to try harder to make her more aroused."
A few minutes after they finished he got dressed and left.
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He said: "I made my excuses saying I had to be up early to train and I couldn't stick around. I asked if she could let me out and said goodbye."
The woman messaged him shortly after saying she felt she had been "bucked and ditched".
And then her flatmate sent him a message saying: "You are so much stronger than her and she didn't want it to happen and that is called rape."
He deleted the messages but two days after the incident in November last year the 21-year-old complainant went to the police and he was arrested.
Kibirige told the court he achieved three As at A level and good GCSE results at the private Yarm
School in Teesside, where his talent for rugby was discovered.
As well as playing for the Falcons he is two thirds of the way through a psychology degree.
He is also an ambassador for the Dallaglio Foundation, set up by former England skipper Lawrence Dallaglio to help deprived children.
Asked by his barrister Nicholas Lumley, QC, "did you rape her?" he replied: "Absolutely not."
And asked whether he had done anything to her against her will he answered: "No I did not."
Mr Lumley said him: "Do you respect women?".
Kibirige replied: "Absolutely."
The barrister went on: "Was that a key part of the way you were brought up?" and Kibirige replied: "Most definitely."
Kibirige, of Newcastle, denies rape and sex assault. The trial continues.