Footballer accused of raping woman as Love Island contestant slept in same room before she ‘screamed at him to get off’
A FORMER Watford player raped a woman as his Love Island contestant pal slept in the same hotel room, a court heard today.
Ashley Charles, 23, allegedly attacked the woman following a night out at swanky London clubs Mahiki, Club Maddox, and Lords London.
He went back to her hotel room with fellow footballers Michael Philips and Dennon Lewis, who appeared on series five of Love Island, and a pal Charles had been messaging, it is said.
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard Philips was on the sofa with the woman, while Lewis was in the bed with her friend.
Charles was sleeping on the floor, the Evening Standard reports.
The woman had consensual sex with Philips before he left early the next day but allegedly woke to find Charles on top of her.
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She screamed at him to get off her, which woke Lewis and her friend, jurors were told.
The alleged victim’s friend called police, who arrived at the hotel to question Charles.
Lewis told the court the woman was “upset” so he spoke to her and Charles, who now plays for Wealdstone FC.
He said: “Obviously it’s a difficult thing to deal with – it’s a very hard one.
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“My reaction was ‘are you sure?’ – I wanted to find out exactly what happened from both sides.
“I was asking the question ‘what actually happened?’. Ash said nothing happened, he didn’t do anything. (She) was upset.
“I told Ash to go and wait in my car, while I sorted it out, and I spoke to them properly.”
He told jurors he met Charles as they rose through the ranks at Watford FC – claiming his teammate is “always respectful”.
Lewis, who is at Boreham Wood, added: “I met Ash through playing football. We were both playing for Watford from a young age.
“I got to know him very well, He’s an unbelievable boy, very very polite, respectful. I can’t speak highly enough of Ash. He’s a very respectful young man.”
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Charles, from Watford, denies rape.
The trial continues.