Yeronga man Eamonn Niall King denies raping and assaulting Ipswich woman

A jury verdict awaits Yeronga Man Eamonn Nial King, who denies raping an Ipswich woman after her comments about his penis size caused tension between them.

A jury began deliberating on Thursday, July 21, over the matter of Yeronga man Eamonn Nial King who denies raping an Ipswich woman after her comments about his penis size caused tension between them.

Mr King, 37, has pleaded not guilty to five charges: three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm, and one count each of rape and attempted rape.

Ipswich man Eamonn Niall King, 37, walks out of the Ipswich courthouse.

The assault occasioning bodily harm charges included two incidents where he allegedly grabbed the woman‘s arm without consent, causing bruising, and further that he allegedly slapped her in the face, causing her to bite her own tongue – resulting in bleeding.

Mr King’s lawyer Cecelia Bernardin said in her closing arguments that there was an increasing level of toxicity between Mr King and the woman at the time.

She said a comment the woman had made about an “apparently well-endowed” man was an ongoing point of contention for them.

Ms Bernardin said there was toxicity from both parties, and noted that the woman had deliberately disrespected Mr King when giving testimony by referring to his penis as a “warm raw sausage”.

“You would not expect that of someone who is genuinely recounting something as traumatic as count four – the attempted rape,” said Ms Bernardin.

She further emphasised that the woman had not accused Mr King of the attempted rape charge until a year after her initial allegations to police.

Ms Bernardin read out the woman’s explanation, quoting “I wasn’t ready to accept that had happened. I wasn’t ready to put that down on paper.”

Ms Bernardin said it did not make sense that the woman was ready to make allegations of rape with a dildo, but not allegations of attempted penile rape.

Ms Bernardin reminded the jury their role was to decide whether the prosecution had proved beyond reasonable doubt that Mr King was guilty.

“There are a lot of things that don’t make sense after having seen and heard the evidence in this trial,” she said.

After deliberating for three and a half hours on July 21, the jury will return on Friday to continue deliberations and deliver a verdict.

On July 20, the court heard police were called to an Ipswich home on the day of the alleged rape and Mr King told officers he was arguing with the woman.

Mr King drew attention to a comment the woman made about another man’s large penis, because he was “an average guy”.

An agreed statement of facts was read to the jury.

Crown prosecutor Amy Standard told the court that Mr King later approached the woman.

Prosecutor Standard said the woman felt overwhelmed, trapped, and mentally exhausted.

“She felt … like she had no other option. She said, ‘it was either have this continue or let him do what he wants to me’.

“She remembered lying there resigned, ‘like fine, whatever’.

“He (then) pulled the dildo out (and) …”