Kamaldeep Singh pleads not guilty to two counts of rape in Cairns District Court

A woman who sought to meet new friends via the app Tinder has alleged she was raped twice by a man who ignored her saying no, Cairns District Court has heard.

A young woman who insisted she only wanted friendship was allegedly raped twice by a man who ignored her unambiguous protests, a court has heard.

Kamaldeep Singh, 37, pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape in Cairns District Court heard on Monday.

Crown prosecutor Emily Thambyah said after relocating to Cairns, the woman created a Tinder profile which emphasised she was only seeking friends.

She began conversing with Singh, the pair swapped numbers, met at a bowling alley and when Mr Singh made overtures, the woman reiterated she only wanted friendship, Ms Thambyah said.

Kamaldeep Singh, who has pleaded not guilty to two charges of rape, allegedly met the woman on the dating app Tinder and they went bowling and had lunch at Port Douglas. Picture: Supplied

She told him via text she was upset by his advances and he offered to make it up to her by taking her to lunch the following day, June 27, 2022.

The woman felt the lunch was rushed and when they returned, Mr Singh persuaded her to let him into her apartment, the court heard.

Mr Singh ultimately persuaded the woman to agree to an upper back massage, got her to roll over on to her back, and began touching her inappropriately, the court heard.

Cairns Disrict Court heard the woman became upset when Mr Singh allegedly placed his hand on her leg in the car on the way back from Port Douglas. Picture: Supplied

Singh was now only in his underwear, Ms Thambaya said.

As his hands moved downward, the woman told him to stop, and after he allegedly raped her the first time, she cupped her handsover her genitals as he persisted.

Mr Singh is accused of raping the woman a second time.

The woman went to police, and two conversations she had with Mr Singh were recorded by police.

Ms Thambyah said the woman confronted him, and he said he didn’t really do anything.

When he then called the woman, he apologised, said he understood why she was upset and acknowledged she clearly didn’t like it, Ms Thambaya told the court.

The court heard that after the alleged incident, Mr Singh took a shower and the woman took the opportunity to text her sister. Picture: Supplied

Ms Thambyah said Mr Singh would say the massage and kisses were consensual and he would deny penetrating her.

Defence barrister James Sheridan urged the jury to listen carefully to Mr Singh’s voluntary interview with police where he gave a detailed account of events.

“The issues are, in essence, three fold – what actually occurred in the bedroom, whether she consented to what occurred, and the third issue is whether he reasonably believed consent had been given,” Mr Sheridan said.

“Consider all of the text messages between them,” he told the jury.

The trial before Judge Dean Morzone KC is continuing.

Originally published as Kamaldeep Singh pleads not guilty to two counts of rape in Cairns District Court