A young man raped his friend's sister during a party after she went to sleep, having drank much alcohol, a jury has heard.
The 20-year-old defendant, who cannot be named to protect the complainant's identity, denied a charge of rape at his trial before a jury of eight women and four men began in the Whangarei District Court yesterday.
Opening the prosecution case, Crown solicitor Mike Smith said the complainant went with her brother to a party at his friend's place in Whangarei on July 8, 2011.
The complainant was 16 at the time.
Mr Smith said the accused and his business partner lived in a flat at the rear of the property where the party took place.