Kosovan soldier denies raping woman he met in Norwich
Trial underway at Norwich Crown Court following alleged incident last year
A Kosovan soldier has denied raping and sexually assaulting a woman he met during a night out in Norwich.
Bali Hoxha, 29, who was in the UK to train Ukrainian soldiers, is accused of attacking the woman outside a fast-food shop last year, according to prosecuting barrister Grace Ong.
The alleged incident occurred around midnight on either 17th September or the early hours of 18th September 2022.
The woman had been out for dinner with friends and visited a few bars earlier that evening.
Ms Ong stated that the defendant allegedly took the inebriated woman to a secluded spot before removing her clothing and committing the alleged rape.
She said the woman, who is in her 20s, had described her level of intoxication as seven out of 10.
The defence contends that the woman consented to the interaction.
The prosecution told the jury at Norwich Crown Court that Hoxha encountered the woman as she was walking past a takeaway shop.
After offering her chicken, he allegedly continued to pursue her despite her attempts to leave.
On the way home, Hoxha is claimed to have pushed the woman down near the river close to Norwich railway station and allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The woman recounted her experience in a police video interview, describing the area as "dark" and "sketchy".
She stated she couldn't push Hoxha off due to his size and said he later instructed her to put her clothes back on.
After the alleged incident, the woman said she managed to escape and called for help from nearby people.
Having sought advice from her sister, she reported the encounter to law enforcement.
Police subsequently examined CCTV footage but found that the cameras did not cover the area where the alleged incident took place.
Officers eventually traced Hoxha to a barracks nearby, where he was arrested.
Hoxha has entered a plea of not guilty to rape and two counts of sexual assault.
The trial is expected to last approximately five days.