A STRANGER raped a university student after sneaking into a room where she was asleep, a court has heard.

Sultan Mohammed is accused of raping the woman in the early hours of the morning on October 3 last year during the university’s Freshers’ period.

The 25-year-old is alleged to have got into a student accommodation block via a broken front door before entering the room where the student was sleeping.

Andrew Thompson, prosecuting, said: “The prosecution say during the early hours of October 3, 2018, Mr Muhammed was effectively prowling around the campus of the University of Essex looking for an opportunity for something, probably some sort of sexual encounter.

“In the course of that he came to an open door which was into student accommodation.

“He was able to pass through another door inside and ended up going into an unlocked bedroom door.

“The victim will tell you the first she knew of him was when she woke suddenly at 5am that morning from a deep sleep to find a strange male on top of her raping her.”

Mr Thompson said after the victim awoke she pushed Mohammed away before trying to take a picture of him.

He said: “There was an awkward encounter before he leaves the room.

“She was unsure what to do but recorded herself making the first complaint in a video.

“A little while later she makes contact with the campus security staff.”

He continued: “We say Mr Mohammed remains in the building for a little while, then it is possible to track his movements through the campus where he makes a number of attempts to gain entry to other buildings before he leaves the site.”

Following the incident police searched Mohammed’s address in Almond Way, Colchester, and he was voluntarily interviewed at Colchester Police Station before being charged with rape.

Mr Thompson said: “He offers no explanation as to why she has reported him for rape.

“It is the prosecution case a sleeping woman did not consent and we say she was fast asleep and, therefore, could not consent.”

Mohammed, who is not a student at the university, is standing trial at Ipswich Crown Court.

He denies rape and claims the sex was consensual and says the victim invited him into the room.

The jury is set to be shown CCTV footage from the night in question and will hear evidence from several witnesses.

The trial, which is expected to last four days, continues.