A WOMAN was allegedly held down by the arms and raped by two men after she said no to a “threesome”, a court heard.

Claudiu Ivascu, 23, is accused of forcing his victim to endure the attack after asking her if she would consider having sex together with another man.

Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard Ivascu arrived at an address in Colchester with Nicolae Mihai, 21, and the pair allegedly carried out the assault.

Barry Hargreaves, prosecuting, said the victim told Mihai and Ivascu she did not want to have sex with them.

Ivascu, of Sycamore Road, Colchester, entered no plea to two charges of rape.

Mihai, of Albert Street, Colchester, entered no pleas to charges of rape and assault of a female by penetration.

The attack was allegedly carried out in April at the home in Colchester.

Malcolm Jessop, chairman of the bench, released the two men on bail with the condition of non-contact with the woman.

The defendants must attend Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday, July 24, for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Addressing the pair, Mr Jessop said: “Each of you are going to be granted bail with conditions to appear before the crown court.

“If you don’t come back to court on that date and at that time you may commit an offence for which you could be arrested, fined or sent to prison.”