Trial starts for Northland chef charged with raping sex worker

Bijil Sebastian is charged with raping a sex worker and two charges of unlawful sexual connection with the sex worker.

A Northland chef is on trial accused of raping a sex worker in Whangarei.

Bijil Sebastian, 29, has pleaded not guilty to rape and two charges of unlawful sexual connection.

A trial expected to last three days started in the Whangarei District Court this morning before a jury of seven men and five women.The alleged offending in Whangarei on May 29 last year and involved one female complainant.

Sebastian has denied all the charges, saying the complainant consented to sex which he paid for.

The Crown says Sebastian went further than what the sex worker consented to and did not stop when she objected.

Crown prosecutor Nicole Dore said the sex worker withdrew her consent when Sebastian became rough and began hurting her.

Dore said another sex worker asked Sebastian to stop and physically tried to push him away but was unsuccessful.

Defence lawyer Arthur Fairley told the jury Sebastian had paid for sex which was consensual.

He said the rape and unlawful sexual connection did not happen.