A woman with learning difficulties allegedly raped by a man she met through a dating app believes her tea was spiked, a court has heard.

She also claims her arms were tied and that a second man held her legs down before the sexual assault occurred at a house in Newcastle, Co Down.

Rahman Sadikur, 34, is accused of carrying out the attack on January 17th this year, the High Court in Belfast was told.

The Bangladeshi national, with an address at South Circular Road in Dublin, denies two charges of rape and two counts of sexual assault by penetration.

He was refused bail amid prosecution claims he could flee if released.

Crown lawyer Adrian Higgins told the court police were alerted after the woman, who is in her twenties, said she had been raped by Sadikur.

She said they met at a house the accused shared with others after exchanging messages on the dating app Badoo.

It was alleged they went to a bedroom where Sadikur got undressed, retrieved condoms and then pushed her down onto the bed.

Another man who came into the room tried to hold her down by the legs, according to the woman’s account.

“She attempted to push them away, saying ‘What the **** are you doing?’, but claimed they were too strong and she couldn’t move,” Mr Higgins said.

Sadikur allegedly raped and assaulted her before they left the house together. He was said to have given her a hug and kiss when they then parted.

Police located him hiding in an outhouse behind the property early the following morning, the court heard.

The accused, a chef who was in the UK illegally, told officers the woman messaged him on Badoo and suggested meeting.

He claimed they chatted and had tea before another resident briefly came into the bedroom and then left.

Sadikur denied forcing her onto the bed, insisting she asked if he wanted to have sex, undressed herself and did not say ‘no’ at any stage.

Explaining why he had been hiding, he said he thought it was immigration authorities at the house looking for him.

Describing the complainant as vulnerable, Mr Higgins also disclosed: “The injured party makes a complaint that her tea tasted strange and was spiked, she describes feeling ‘relaxed’.”

A toxicology report indicated an unidentified substance was present in her system, he added.

Defence counsel David Heraghty set out his client’s case that sex had been consensual.

Mr Heraghty said Sadikur gave police his log-in details for the dating site so they could check all communication between the pair.

“He informed police it was the complainant who initiated contact with him, she made contact that day,” the barrister stressed.

Mr Heraghty argued there was no evidence of injuries to back claims the woman made during interview that her arms had been tied.

He also referred to the alleged victim’s account of being given her mobile by Sadikur when it rang during their encounter.

“Why would a rapist hand a phone to a complainant at the time of, or after, a rape?” counsel asked.

“No indication is made on the telephone when she speaks to somebody that there’s any difficulty.”

Mrs Justice Keegan was told the accused has obtained political asylum status in the Republic of Ireland.

Refusing bail due to issues about where he would stay, the judge said: “I’m just not convinced at the moment these matters have been satisfactorily addressed to assuage the risk of flight.”