Man denies barbershop rape claims

A Kurdish man accused of raping a woman in a barbershop has told a court the pair had a "good relationship" and he has denied sexually assaulting her.

Jowad Haji, 24, is alleged to have winked at the woman and made remarks about her body before he attacked her in the back room of Barberia in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, in January this year.

He also told Warwick Crown Court he had never offered the victim a job at his workplace.

Haji, of Coventry, denies rape, attempted rape, sexual assault, assault by penetration and intentional strangulation in relation to the incident.

The trial heard on Wednesday that Haji, who is being assisted by a Kurdish interpreter, speaks some English and has lived in the UK for around five years.

He had been working at Barberia for about five months before the alleged attack and said the woman had added him on Snapchat, but said he did not use the social media app very often and so he would also speak to her face-to-face.

Prosecutor Simon Hunka previously told the jury that the victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was attacked after following Haji to the room believing she was going to sign paperwork.

Haji was asked by his barrister Nicholas Berry if his reading was proficient enough to be able to read business documents or terms and conditions and contracts, but Haji said: "Not good enough, even if I read, I wouldn't understand."

He was also asked about his relationship with the woman and he said: "My relationship with her was good, we had a good relationship… it was good and improving by time, she would sometimes say 'let's see each other more'."

Haji had denied massaging, sexually assaulting or "flirting" with the alleged victim on the second occasion they met at the barbershop.

He also said it was "not correct" that he sexually assaulted the woman after she gave him a massage when he complained of a painful shoulder.

Asked about the prosecution's claim he offered to pay her £100 or £150 a day at the shop, he said: "She is not a barber, how can I offer her job?"

The defendant is expected to be asked questions about the alleged rape in January when he continues his evidence on Thursday.

The trial heard when Haji was arrested and interviewed on 14 February, he provided the pin code to open his phone, but there were no Snapchat communications relating to the victim on it.

The trial continues.

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