Dorset police officer accused of raping friend 'became an animal' court told

A Dorset Police officer "became an animal" as he raped a friend, a court has heard.

Pc Ravi Canhye, based at Bournemouth police station, is alleged to have slapped and bitten the woman before raping her.

The 47-year-old, from Poole, is on trial facing two charges of rape, one count of attempted rape, three charges of assault of penetration and one of sexual assault against one woman.

These offences are alleged to have taken place between 8-11 April last year.

He also faces an offence of the sexual assault of a second woman on 10 April 2022.

Sarah Jones KC, prosecuting, told the court the complainant was a friend of the defendant, who had previously considered a romantic relationship with him, but he had ruled this out.

She said that during the weekend in April, Canhye had drunk excessively and "become a completely" different person, and attacked his friend despite the pair having had consensual sex the night before.

Ms Jones said: "This case concerns a period of time when this defendant span out of control.

"He has an issue with drinking, and over this particular weekend, he drank to excess. The alcohol changed him or simply disinhibited him to reveal the true side of him.

"He abused his friendship with one woman who had been nothing but kind and helpful to him.

"He was so wrapped up in his own needs and desires he saw both her and her friend as objects to use and abuse as he wanted.

"It brought him a sense of power or gratification and either he had no interest in what effect it had on these women, particularly his friend, or he positively revelled in seeing her disgust, her discomfort.

"He thought he could treat them both as he wanted."

Ms Jones said that previously the friend had considered a relationship with Canhye.

She said: "She had been attracted to him before this weekend took place, she had thought about a romantic relationship with him because he was so polite all the time she had known him, so courteous, so empathetic to her feelings, she had thought there were no nice men in the world."

The prosecutor added that when Canhye attacked the friend, she had become frightened and obeyed his orders.

Ms Jones said: "She considered he was behaving like an animal and that she considered him to be behaving like an animal seemed to drive him on more."

The defendant denies all the charges and the trial continues.

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