Queensland court hears alleged rape victim told accused Sunshine Coast doctor she did not want sex

A court has heard a woman made it clear to a doctor accused of raping her on their first date that she did not want to have sexual intercourse and was saving her virginity due to her faith.

Yohannes Abate Faris has pleaded not guilty in the Maroochydore District Court to five counts of alleged rape in March 2022.

The third day of proceedings on Thursday ended with the cross examination by defence barrister Liam Dollar of the alleged victim, who appeared via video link in a closed court.

Earlier this week, Crown prosecutor Annica Fritz told the court the alleged victim had been in contact with the doctor in 2022 after meeting him on a Christian dating site on March 3 that year.

It was alleged the 45-year-old man made unwanted advances to the woman at his Maroochydore unit after a dinner date and ignored her pleas to stop.

Conversing via text, social media

Prosecutor Ms Fritz told the court on Tuesday the alleged victim initially started a conversation with the doctor, via text messages and social media, after he had given the woman his phone number.

Ms Fritz said Mr Faris on March 8 invited the accused to a first date, which was arranged for March 13.

She described the pair’s initial interaction, before the alleged rapes, as “open conversation”, adding the complainant had told Mr Faris she did not want to have sex.

She told the court that Mr Faris asked the woman if she had any previous relationships, and the woman answered, “I haven’t lost my virginity” and said she was “saving herself” due to her faith.

Ms Fritz told the court the alleged victim made it known “she did not want to have sexual intercourse”.

Speaking to the jury, Ms Fritz said the couple went to dinner and proceeded back to Mr Faris’ Maroochydore apartment on the evening of March 13.

She said the woman consented to kissing and cuddling.

Following the alleged offences, Ms Fritz said the woman left Mr Faris’ apartment and called her pastor before ringing the police.

The woman then attended the Nambour General Hospital for an examination by a forensic nurse, and the following day gave a statement to police and took part in a recorded phone call with Mr Faris.

Doctor worked on Sunshine Coast

The court previously heard Mr Faris was a registered doctor and had worked in clinics on the Sunshine Coast.

On Tuesday, the jurors also heard evidence from a police officer from the Sunshine Coast District Duty Office and watched a video recording taken from his bodycam.

The video included the initial interaction the alleged victim had with the police following the incident.

The court will hear from other police officers and a forensic nurse from the Nambour General Hospital when proceedings continue in the District Court in Maroochydore on Friday.