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Home / Sport

Cricket: Woman left in 'horrendous' state after alleged rape by Perth cricketer Alex Hepburn

NZ Herald
10 Apr, 2019 07:15 AM2 mins to read

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Alex Hepburn. Photo / Getty

Alex Hepburn. Photo / Getty

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WARNING: GRAPHIC

A woman who claims she was raped by Australian cricketer Alex Hepburn has told the court the attack left her "shaking in shock".

Hepburn, 23, is on trial accused of sexually assaulting the woman in his teammate Joe Clarke's bedroom.

The complainant told the Worcester Crown Court she didn't kiss Hepburn and initially believed she was having sex with Clarke.

Prosecutors claim the alleged attack in April 2017 was part of a "sexual conquest game" set up via WhatsApp which included both cricketers.

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The jury, consisting of six men and six women, were told the woman had consensual sex with Clarke after a night-out.

Hepburn, who denies the accusations of rape, is alleged to have attacked the "dozing" woman after entering the bedroom while Clarke was asleep in a bathroom.

"Horrendous. I couldn't stop shaking, I remember being cold, just shocked," the woman said in court, describing the state she was in when she spoke to the police.

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Defence counsel Michelle Heeley QC suggested the woman either regretted or could not remember kissing Hepburn at the start of the sexual activity, which she claimed lasted up to 20 minutes.

The alleged victim said "she had no reason" to open her eyes as she thought she was with Clarke.

"We didn't have sex, he (Hepburn) raped me. My eyes weren't open," she said.

Heeley then asked: "For 20 minutes your eyes never opened once?"

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To which the complainant, who was addressing jurors from behind a curtain shielding her from Hepburn's view, replied: "I don't think the timings are accurate. My eyes were closed - I was asleep.

"He didn't introduce himself to me. Because I thought it was Joe I had no reason to open my eyes. I didn't realise there were sick people in this city."

When asked if she looked at Hepburn and kissed him at the start of the sexual activity, the woman told Heeley: "Absolutely no way. I didn't get a say in it … I was asleep when it started - that's the bit you are missing from all of this."

Hepburn has pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape, claiming that kissing led to sexual contact he believed was consensual.

The trial continues.

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