Man pleads not guilty to allegedly forcing sex worker into degrading acts for $25

A MAN who allegedly forced a sex worker into his flat and subjected her to a series of degrading sexual acts against her will has faced the first day of his trial

Jeffrey Smith, 60, pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court to eight counts of rape. Picture: Che Chorley

A MAN who allegedly forced a sex worker into his flat and subjected her to a series of degrading sexual acts against her will has faced the first day of his trial in the Supreme Court.

Jeffrey Smith, 60, pleaded not guilty to eight counts of rape on Monday after allegedly telling police he paid the woman $25 for her consent to the ”distasteful” sexual activity.

Crown prosecutor Stephen Geary told jurors the woman had worked as a sex worker from time to time to sustain a methamphetamine addiction when she met Smith last year.

Mr Geary said Smith had known her for a couple of months when he approached her outside his apartment building on Harriet Pl on August 16.

MORE COURT NEWS

Man jailed after taking rap for brother in hit-and-run on elderly woman in exchange for money, drugs

Former Speaker Kezia Purick in legal bid to quash ICAC report, bar referral of possible charges to the DPP

Man accused of trying to shield brother from crash investigation found guilty by jury

“There’s a discussion about sex but she makes it clear to him at the time that she’s just interested in charging her phone but she decided to go up with him,” he said.

Mr Geary said the pair went into the building’s stairwell where Smith “grabbed her by the neck and marched her up the stairs into the unit” where she “tried to fight him off”.

“She’ll say she was crying, she was begging and at different times he was choking her and there were punches to her head by the accused — she’ll tell you that she wanted to get away,” he said.

“She thought about hitting him with a glass bottle but she was worried, she’ll tell you, that if it didn’t work it would make him angry.”

MORE TOP NEWS

NEW CCTV: Arsonist spotted running from fire

La Nina expected to bring cyclones: emergency services

Gunner’s brother-in-law steps down as his deputy chief of staff

Mr Geary said Smith then forced the woman to perform a series of sex acts, the details of which are too graphic to publish, before his flatmate came home and she took the opportunity to run away.

He said Smith was interviewed by police and admitted to the sexual activity but claimed it was consensual.

“He says that later towards the end of their encounter she was demanding the money, he said ‘no’ and he says, for that sexual activity between them he believes he gave her $25,” he said.

Smith’s barrister Giles O’Brien Hartcher said while the jurors might find some of what Smith told police in his recorded interview “distasteful”, they were “not here to judge the morality of anyone’s behaviour”.

LIMITED TIME: New NT News subscription offer: $1 a week for the first 12 weeks

“The case isn’t a personality contest, it’s not a popularity contest, it’s not a question of whether you feel sorry for the complainant, it’s not a question of whether you like Mr Smith,” he said.

“You’re here to decide whether or not Mr Smith is guilty or not guilty of the crimes he’s been charged with.”

The trial continues.