Angel Torres trial: A league star on trial for sexual assault
A woman who was allegedly the subject of a sexual assault by a well-known A-League player sent a text message to her friend which read “I need help”, a court has heard.
Central Coast
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A woman who was allegedly the victim of a sexual assault at the hands of a professional soccer player sent a desperate text message to her friend that read, “I need help,” a jury has heard.
Colombian international A-League player Angel Torres, 24, is on trial at Gosford District Court for five charges, including aggravated sexual intercourse without consent, sexual intercourse without consent, intimidation, and two counts of common assault.
It is alleged Torres made eye contact with a young woman across the dance floor of a Central Coast nightclub before inviting her back to his apartment.
On Wednesday, the court heard how a friend had been texting the alleged victim during the incident in the early hours of the morning.
The court heard the alleged victim texted her friend, “I don’t know if this was a good idea,” to which the friend replied, “Are you okay?”
At 2:23am, the friend texted the alleged victim, “You can always say no. Take five minutes to yourself in the bathroom.”
The court heard the friend was waiting by her phone for a response and received a message at 2:44am that read, “I need help.”
The friend said she and some others decided to find the alleged victim using her phone location.
At 2:58am, the alleged victim sent another message: “Omg, he wouldn’t let me leave,” to which the friend replied, “Do you need us? We are on our way.”
The group eventually found her in Terrigal after 3am. The friend said the alleged victim ran towards them from the side of the road after hiding in a bush and appeared “distressed.”
“She was exclaiming, ‘He wouldn’t let me leave, he wouldn’t let me go.’”
“While she was crying, she said, ‘He held me down and put a belt around my neck.’”
“She also said he chased her down the street, pinned her to the footpath, screamed at her aggressively, and threatened that her behaviour would destroy his career.”
The friend told the court that consensual kissing had taken place at the club and at Torres’ apartment but said she did not ask if there had been any sexual activity between the two.
“He was a lot more athletic and faster than her, so she felt extremely physically overpowered.”
The trial continues.
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