Alex Stokes is on trial at Ipswich Crown Court, accused of raping a teenager at the Latitude Festival in 2022. He also faces charges of penetrative sexual activity with a girl under 18, non-penetrative sex with a girl under 18, and sexual assault.
Stokes claims the alleged victim sat on his lap, initiated intimate contact, and consented to sex. He denies the victim was unaware of the situation or unable to leave. He also denies touching the victim's friend inappropriately or misrepresenting himself as festival security.
The alleged victim testified that she and her friend initially told Stokes they were 18 or 19, but later revealed their true age (15). She stated she felt pressured into having sex, saying, "I felt like I had to. I felt like I had to make him happy." She also described Stokes offering drinks confiscated from others and that he was about to call for help for her friend (who passed out), but she declined help.
The alleged victim's friend's video testimony detailed waking to find the alleged victim on top of Stokes. She also alleged that Stokes touched her inappropriately while having sex with her friend.
The trial is ongoing.
Giving evidence during his trial at Ipswich Crown Court Alex Stokes said he and the girl had kissed after he met her and her friend on the last night of the Latitude festival in 2022..
He claimed the alleged victim had sat on his lap and had then touched him intimately before having sex with him.
Stokes said that at no time had the girl appeared to be unaware of what was going on and said she could have got up and walked away at any time.
Stokes also denied touching the alleged victim's friend's breasts and grabbing her hand and pulling it towards his penis.
Stokes said he was wearing a “Crew” wristband and denied giving the girls the impression he was part of security at the festival.
Stokes, of Burns Road, Wellingborough, has denied raping the teenager at the festival's Henham Park site in July 2022.
The 32-year-old - who was 29 at the time, also denies penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged under-18, non-penetrative sex with a girl aged under-18 and one offence of sexual assault.
The court heard the alleged rape victim had been visiting the Latitude festival as part of a group with her friend and her friend's family.
She said she had drunk wine and vodka prior to entering the site and that they first encountered the defendant at the security gate, where he befriended them and showed them his security card before inviting them to walk over to the main arena area.
She remembered Stokes saying that "it was either her or her friend (for sex)" and became concerned for the safety of her friend who had passed out due to the effects of drink.
She said the defendant had been about to radio for help for her friend, but she refused, insisting that her friend was ok.
She added earlier in the evening, the pair had invited the defendant to guess their ages and had joked they were 18 or 19, but that later they told Stokes they were both 15.
She said she did not want to have sex and in her evidence told the court: "I felt like I had to. I felt like I had to make him happy."
A video of her friend's evidence was played to the court, during which she recalled waking up after passing out to find the victim on top of the defendant, who was laying with his back against a wall.
They had all been dancing at the BBC Sounds stage and she said the sex had taken place at a wall behind the stage.
Earlier, the friend said Stokes had supplied the girls with drinks he had confiscated from other revellers.
She said the defendant touched her bottom, put his hand down her top and placed her hand on his genitals while he was having sex with her friend.
The trial continues.
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