Businessman said '˜boo' to Spalding woman on dating website 24 hours after raping her, court hears

A businessman wrote to a woman saying 'Boo!' 24 hours after attempting to rape her, a court has heard.
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Court news

Jason Lawrance (50) is alleged to have raped five women, attempted to rape another woman and sexually assaulted a seventh after meeting up on internet dating site match.com

The alleged offences took place between June 2011 and November 2014 and the alleged victims are from five counties.

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On the second day of the trial, Derby Crown Court heard the victim of the alleged attempted rape was attacked while her 16-year-old son was asleep in a nearby bedroom at her home near Spalding, in July 2013.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the pair had chatted online and had good “banter”, and he asked to drive over and meet her in person.

Lawrance asked the woman if he could have a bath at her house – which she described as “a bit upfront” – and then the pair went out for a drink before returning back and drinking more.

He asked if he could stay the night and the woman agreed on the condition that he stayed on the sofa.

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In her interview, she said: “I made it quite clear. ‘I do not want to hold your hand, I’m just your friend’.

“He was quite forceful, he said we have got to be more than friends.”

The alleged victim then went to bed and was awoken by an “awful weight” on top of her, she said.

She said: “I realised it was him. I told him ‘No, what are you doing?’.

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“At that point I realised I had my (pyjama) bottoms off. He was smothering me and got my arms back and told me to be quiet.

“The more I was saying no, the more he was aroused.

“I did struggle because he was quite a heavy man. I could not move his hand off my face. But it did slip and I was able to shout for my son.”

Lawrance then left the house, but allegedly contacted the woman the following day through match.com saying “Boo! xx”, which she reported to

the site.

The woman said: “I did not quite understand it. Was he trying to scare me? Trying to pretend that nothing had happened? I don’t know.”

Lawrance, of Liphook, Hampshire, denies the charges and the trial is expected to last two weeks.

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