A man accused of raping a woman in King's Lynn claimed she asked him for sex and 'grinded' herself up against him, a court heard.

The woman, who had been drinking, was walking on her own after an argument with her boyfriend, when it is alleged she was raped by Gareth Thorpe, 38, a stranger she met that night.

Norwich Crown Court heard that Thorpe is alleged to have raped the woman, who was 22 at the time, in an alleyway near Highgate Infant School, on Gaywood Road, despite her repeatedly telling him "no."

Thorpe of James Scott Close, Downham Market, has denied raping the woman in the early hours of January 27, last year.

Giving evidence, Thorpe told the jury how he found the woman sobbing and sitting on a kerb.

He said he asked her what was the matter and she told him she had an argument with her boyfriend.

Thorpe said she ignored her phone when it rang and when they started talking she seemed to calm down.

He said they started walking together and shared his bottle of drink, which was a mix of vodka, Special Brew and cider and also had a cigarette.

Thorpe said he thought at first she was "hammered" but said when they talked he thought she was OK and was not too drunk.

He said that as they walked along, he criticised her boyfriend for leaving a pretty girl on her own and she then asked him if they were going to have sex.

He said she started "grinding" up against him and he said: "I knew something was going to happen."

He said they had sex and afterwards shared another roll-up when she had suddenly ran off after he told her he was going to have to go.

He said she tripped and fell to the ground but when he went to help her up he thought she was "crazy" when she suddenly started saying to people he had sexually assaulted her.

He said he stayed with her when police arrived as he had "nothing to hide."

The trial continues.