A rape suspect being interviewed by police said of his alleged victim: “She's a girl but she's not Snow White.”

Robert Woods' comment was read aloud at Carlisle Crown Court as a jury heard a transcript of the interview he gave police after he was arrested on suspicion of raping and sexually assaulting the woman.

He denies both allegations.

Woods, 47, of Thomlinson Avenue, Raffles, told the officer he had gone round to see the woman after she sent him text messages, including one about having trouble with an ex-boyfriend.

When arrested, the jury heard, he said: "Rape. It's a joke.”

A police officer asked Woods: “Are you responsible for the rape of this female?”

Woods replied: “No.”

The officer then asked: “What can you tell us about this offence.” Woods replied: “There is no offence.” He then gave his side of the story.

He said he went to see the woman after getting her text messages. He said: “We got on allright. Last night we were exchanging texts.” She agreed to see him and he took a taxi to where she was.

“We were at it within minutes,” he said.

“We were having sex straight off. It was the minute I got there.”

During an earlier meeting, he and the same woman had been passionate together on a street corner, kissing each other, he said. “There was even talk of going to a hotel room,” said Woods.

Earlier the jury saw a video recorded interview of the woman, who described being with Woods on July 9 and starting to kiss. She said: "I consented to that," she said. "But then, when he was kissing me, he started getting a bit rough. He grabbed the back of my hair. I said 'you are hurting; don't; get off'."

The woman said she pushed away Woods, who stood up and undressed.

He had then grabbed and got rough, she said, adding: "The whole time I just kept saying to him 'you are hurting me, please stop'."

Eventually, she stated, Woods did stop. As he stayed with the woman for 15 minutes, she sent texts to another male which read "help" and "now".

During this time Woods allegedly verbally abused and insulted her, said the woman. She added: "What he's done was horrible.”

Woods insisted that the woman was a willing participant in the sex.

The trial continues.