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By Rod Minchin, PA
An alleged rapist set up a
hidden camera in his bedroom to secretly film an horrific sex attack on a
woman, a court heard today. John Gibson, 41, is accused of hiding the covert camera
to film the brutal rape of the woman at his home.
Newcastle Crown Court was
told the filming was the culmination of a four-month campaign to threaten and
intimidate the woman into sex. Gibson even made up posters bearing the naked picture
of the woman and including her home telephone number and address. He then left
the posters where friends, family and work colleagues would see them, the court
heard. With the words “Good time girl” plastered across the sick posters he left
them on her car at work, in her family’s garden and even threatened to show them
to fans arriving at Sunderland AFC’s football stadium. Gibson denies 10 counts
of rape between October 12, 2003, and February 1, 2004. He also denies a single
charge of putting the same woman in fear of violence by harassment between September
1, 2003, and February 1, 2004. The court heard how all the alleged offences took
place in the Whitburn area of Wearside. Robin Patton, prosecuting, told the jury:
“On February 1 she revealed to police, not for the first time, she had been the
subject of threats and intimidation. “She told police she had been forced to give
into his sexual demands because of threats to her family.” Mr Patton also alleged
that the woman had been subjected to a four-month hate campaign by Gibson. He
took naked pictures of the woman and made posters out of them, with the words
“Good time girl” blazoned across them, Mr Patton said. The harassment escalated
with the defendant secretly recording his sickening rape of the woman. Gibson
claimed he had set up the camera
to see who was stealing from him. But the prosecutor asked the jury: “You may
wonder why he set this up at a time that she was coming into his bedroom.” Gibson
also threatened the woman with guns, knives and a knuckle duster and warned her
not to go to the police. The trial was adjourned until tomorrow when the jury
is expected to be shown the video that the defendant recorded of him allegedly
raping the woman. from Scotsman News |
