Sunderland's Jack Diamond's story 'more reliable than accuser'

A footballer's account of a night in which he allegedly raped a woman is more "reliable" than the complainant's, a court has been told.

Jack Diamond, 23, denies raping and sexually assaulting a woman at his home in Fatfield, Washington, on 7 May 2022.

He said all activity with the woman, with whom he had a "casual sexual relationship", was consensual.

Lawyers have made their closing speeches to Newcastle Crown Court jurors after four days of evidence.

The court has heard the pair had an on-off "friends-with-benefits" relationship, after meeting on Tinder in 2019.

On 7 May, after returning from drinking in the pub, Mr Diamond invited the woman to his home for a "cuddle" and "company", the court heard.

She said she got into his bed but did not want to have sex, but after consensual kissing and touching he "tried to force himself" upon her.

Mr Diamond claimed the woman tried to initiate sex but got into a "huff" after he said he didn't think it was a "good idea", adding he then tried to show her "affection" because she seemed "annoyed".

In his closing speech, prosecutor David Povall said it was "not a crime" to have a "casual sexual relationship", or to "treat another person in an entitled and contemptuous way".

"It is not pleasant but not a crime," he said, but added that was the context jurors had to consider the allegations against.

He said jurors had to consider why the woman "would make this up", and whether Mr Diamond's account that she wanted sex but he, a "physically fit young man" who had drunk four or five pints, declined "makes sense".

Mr Povall also said Mr Diamond was a man of good character and several witnesses had spoken "very well of him".

The prosecutor said Mr Diamond had "clearly made an excellent impression" on people and was a "talented" footballer, but added: "A sexual offender is not some different creature who you can spot as 'not like us'."

Eleanor Laws KC, representing Mr Diamond, said he was 19 and coming out of a long-term relationship when he met the woman, and accepted he made mistakes.

"The biggest one was taking her at her word when she maintained all she wanted from him was sex," Ms Laws said, adding the woman "wanted more from him than he wanted to give".

Ms Laws said Mr Diamond was "not a predatory arrogant man" or "some entitled footballer who felt the world owed him everything".

The court heard the woman left his home and told a friend Mr Diamond had "touched her up", with the friend insisting she tell her parents.

Ms Laws said that was the "snowball starting" and it was understandable the woman's father rang the police in the early hours of 8 May, but the woman had not wanted him to.

Ms Laws said the allegation was taken "extremely seriously" immediately, with Mr Diamond arrested and interviewed within hours.

But, Ms Laws said, the woman did not give her full account to police until a month later after which her "narrative" had "developed".

"[Mr Diamond's] account has been reliable and consistent throughout," Ms Laws said, adding the woman's story "[did] not stand up to any scrutiny whatsoever".

Ms Laws said she was not claiming the woman was telling "deliberate wicked lies" and maybe had "persuaded herself" some of her claims were true, adding she may have "reframed" the incident afterwards.

Ms Laws said Mr Diamond stopped when the woman told him to and she "gave him a kiss afterwards".

The woman said she got dressed when Mr Diamond went to use the toilet, but did not leave the house until he had returned to the room, Ms Laws said.

The woman told police she started crying after he rolled over and went to sleep, the court heard.

Ms Laws said her actions were "not consistent with her having been raped", but more with "the fact she really did like him".

The trial continues.

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