A man on trial over an alleged gunpoint rape has told a jury the incident was consensual and insisted social workers who claimed he confessed got “the wrong idea”.
Nathan Sim, 20, is accused of donning a black balaclava and pointing an imitation handgun at an 18-year-old man before subjecting him to a prolonged violent abduction, rape and sexual assault.
It is claimed Sim detained the man for more than six hours in his Aberdeen flat using the fake gun and a machete.
Jurors at the High Court in Aberdeen also heard claims that following the alleged rape, Sim forced the teenager into a shower to destroy forensic evidence.
Sim denies the charges against him, which are said to have taken place in July 2022.
Accused rapist insists it was consensual
As he gave evidence, Sim told his defence advocate David Moggach that following a party at a friend’s house he had suggested the man crash on his couch as he had missed his bus.
Sim – who was living in a flat on Great Northern Road at the time – admitted putting on a balaclava and pointing the black BB gun at the man, but suggested this was an attempt at a joke.
Following the two men eating some food, Sim claims he then stated to his guest he “wanted to experiment with him in a sexual way”.
He told jurors that the pair then engaged in a series of “consensual” sexual acts.
However, Sim also claimed that the two young men subsequently fell out after the teenager “disrespected” him.
Sim said he then beat the young man until he lost consciousness and took possession of his mobile phone.
It was then admitted by Sim that he sold the man’s phone on Snapchat.
An armed police unit then arrived at Sim’s flat when his alleged victim contacted them and reported that a firearm was within the property.
Social workers ‘wrong’ about supposed jail cell confession
During cross-examination, advocate depute Naomei Warner quizzed Sim about evidence from two social workers, who claimed he had confessed to them in the cells of Aberdeen Sheriff Court.
Brett Morrison told the jury on day two of the trial that Sim said to him he had “really hurt a young person”.
“He said he had really f***** up this young person and they didn’t deserve it,” Mr Morrison said.
The social worker also claimed Sim made a “penetration symbol” with his hand and forefinger.
Ms Warner put it to Sim that following his arrest he was “upset” and “wanted to talk about what had happened” with Mr Morrison and his colleague Kristin Meyer.
“Some of the stuff they’re saying they’re wrong about,” Sim replied, adding that he was just “very upset at being accused of these things”.
Ms Warner put it to Sim that he had told Mr Morrison he had done “a really bad thing” and that he had forced the teenager to carry out a sex act on him.
“No,” Sim replied.
“You claim it was consensual?” Ms Warner asked.
“Yes, I told Brett Morrison it was consensual.”
Defence closes case
The advocate depute repeatedly pressed Sim on what he had told the social workers.
“I’m going to suggest to you that you were so upset in the cells because of the severity of what you had done, you were upset for yourself, weren’t you?” she asked.
Sim denied that was the case.
“And now you’re trying to minimise it, aren’t you?” Ms Warner pressed again.
“No, I’m trying to tell the truth,” Sim replied.
The advocate depute suggested that Sim hadn’t wanted anyone to find out about what he had done and had taken the teenager’s mobile phone to prevent him from contacting the police.
“No,” Sim replied.
Following Sim’s evidence, the defence closed its case.
The trial, before Judge Graham Buchanan, will continue today.
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