Terrigal: Colombian A-League star Angel Torres on trial for alleged rape

Colombian A-League star Angel Torres told a woman she was “crazy” and “going to ruin my career” after she fled his unit in tears having allegedly been sexually assaulted, a court has heard.

Angel Torres, 24, arriving at Gosford District Court after pleading not guilty to raping a woman at Terrigal in March 2024. Picture: NewsLocal

International marquee Mariners player Angel Torres made “eye contact” with a young woman across the dance floor of a Central Coast nightclub before inviting her back to his apartment.

But after initially kissing, the woman began to sober up and decided she didn’t want to sleep with the Colombian goal scorer. It was then, a court heard, that he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

Torres, 24, faced Gosford District Court on Monday where he is on trial on five charges including aggravated sexual intercourse without consent, sexual intercourse without consent, intimidation and two counts of common assault.

Torres has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The Crown prosecutor gave his opening address to the five-man, seven-women jury in which he outlined how the soccer star met the victim at Sirens nightclub on March 23 last year.

Torres has pleaded not guilty to all five charges. Picture: NewsLocal

He said the young woman had been at a friend’s house at Wyong for pizza and drinks before another friend drove the group to Terrigal.

“He [Torres] made eye contact and gestured for her to come over,” he told the court.

The pair “flirted” for a while and at one point “kissed”.

Torres and the woman allegedly kissed at Sirens nightclub at Terrigal before going back to his house. (File iage)

The prosecutor said she complimented Torres on his cologne to which he replied “do you want to see the cologne in my car?”.

The court heard Torres showed her his Instagram profile and told her he was playing for the Mariners and she eventually agreed to go home with him.

Inside Torres’ Terrigal apartment he poured himself a drink and “lit a cigarette”.

“She was starting to sober up, she started to question her decision,” the Crown prosecutor told the jury.

He said at one point she texted her friend “I don’t know if this is a good idea?”

Her friend replied “Hey baby, are you okay” to which the victim replied: “I don’t know, weird vibes”.

The woman allegedly got “weird vibes” from Torres. Picture: NewsLocal

The court heard Torres entered the bedroom shirtless and took off her belt and allegedly wrapped it around her neck which made her feel uncomfortable.

The prosecutor said Torres then allegedly sexually assaulted her but “she started yelling no, no, no”.

The prosecutor said Torres laughed at her when she couldn’t find her pants and then allegedly held her by the upper arms against a wall for about 45 seconds and asked why she wanted to leave.

While she was looking for her shoes Torres allegedly said “you’re acting crazy, you’re sick in the head” before she left his unit about 2.44am on March 24, last year.

She started walking along the road and he followed a short time later and at one point allegedly took her phone from her for a while before she was able to “snatch it back and put it down her pants”, the court heard.

“She screamed `help, help’,” the Crown prosecutor said.

“[Torres said] you’re going to ruin my career”.

The woman walked off down a dark laneway before hiding in bushes before getting picked up by her friends.

Torres in his playing days with the Central Coast Mariners. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The following day her father convinced her to report the incident to police and Torres was arrested a month later on April 22 and taken to Gosford Police Station but was not interviewed.

In his opening address to the jury Torres’ barrister William Brewer said the A-League star said the allegations “simply did not occur” as described by the Crown.

“That’s not to say there wasn’t a sexual encounter,” Mr Brewer said.

He told the jury Torres never assaulted or intimidated the victim and she left his unit “abruptly” at about 3am and he went out looking for her because he was “concerned”.

He said Torres would be relying on his “good character” and urged the jury “not to jump to conclusions”.

The trial before Judge Tanya Bright continues.

Originally published as Terrigal: Colombian A-League star Angel Torres on trial for alleged rape