Callum Harriott alleged rape trial jury to retire to consider verdict

Before Ipswich Crown Court is 28-year-old Callum Harriott, who was living in Rotary Way, Colchester.

He has denied a single offence of rape dating back to November 2019.

Harriott, who played for Colchester United between 2019 and 2021, has also represented Guyana at an international level.

During his trial, which started on Monday, the court heard Harriott met the alleged victim in the Turtle Bay bar in Colchester before they headed to the Attic nightclub with their respective friends.

During the evening the alleged victim was seen to fall into a group of people on the dance floor and to tumble into a wall before vomiting in the High Street near Harriott’s car.

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The court heard that Harriott had driven her back to his flat while one of his friends and the woman’s friend had followed behind.

The footballer told police he had been concerned about the alleged victim and as his friend and the second woman were “cracking on”, it had made sense for them to all go to his house as it was nearest.

He claimed he had offered the alleged victim, who is in her twenties, some water before she had a nap in the spare room to help her sober up.

“If I didn’t think she was well enough to come back to have sex with me then why would I let her in my car?”, Harriott, now of Beech Road, Biggin Hill, asked the police.

“She was sleeping, she’s sobering up and getting better. She’s saying she’s OK. Her friend said ‘oh, she’s fine’.

“I said ‘are we having fun?’ and she’s like ‘yeah’. I’m lying on the bed hugging her and she takes my hand.

“I get up and say I’m putting a condom on. I put it on and she’s turned on her side so I can have sex with her.

“She was perfectly fine and had sobered up. She was talking and wanted to have sex."

It is alleged that Harriott took advantage of the “visibly drunk” woman and raped her after she passed out on his bed.