A 19-YEAR-OLD woman who went to the Spice House Indian restaurant in Gloucester Street, Stroud for a meal with a friend was raped in the ladies toilet by a member of staff, a jury was told on Monday.

The woman claims she was raped by assistant manager and restaurant delivery driver Mohammed Hussain, aged 21, of Blundell Road, Sparkhill, Birmingham on September 14 last year.

He has pleaded not guilty.

Prosecutor Timothy Green told Gloucester Crown Court that the pair knew each other and had briefly been friends.

They had once kissed and on another occasion touched each other during a brief sexual encounter when he was giving her a lift.

But at the time of the incident in the restaurant they were no longer in contact, said Mr Green.

He told the court that the woman was at the restaurant with a female friend when she received a text from Hussain asking her to meet him in the ladies toilets, where he raped her, said Mr Green.

The court heard that Hussain later sent her a text apologising for what had happened.

The trial continues