A Pakistani man on trial for the alleged rape of a woman with Down Syndrome has accused her of telling lies about what happened.
He claims she willingly went back to his Dublin city flat on a summer afternoon in 2013 and has lied to gardaí and the jury.
In his direct evidence yesterday, the man admitted having some sexual contact with the woman in June 2013 - but said it was consensual.
He said he had never heard of Down Syndrome and that in big cities back in Pakistan, people with special needs wear badges to let others know.
His cross-examination got underway this morning, and so far he has strongly denied grabbing or pulling his alleged victim.
He denied that he would not let her go home and said she was not crying throughout.
Her version of events is wrong, he said, and he claimed she told gardaí lies.
He also denied asking her to promise not to tell anyone.
His trial has already heard that she went missing after becoming separated from her mother while out for a jog and that she returned home in a distressed state.
The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also denies a charge of sexual assault and of having sex with a 'mentally impaired' person.
