A CHRISTMAS drink led to the brutal rape of a Swindon woman as she was walked home, it was claimed in court.

The woman had enjoyed an evening's drinking, culminating at Angelo's nightclub in Fleet Street last December, Swindon Crown Court heard yesterday.

But as she headed home with a man she met at the club, he carried out the serious sexual assault in Euclid Street.

Keith Evans, 39, of Elborough Road, Moredon, denies rape.

The jury of eight men and four women heard that he admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Prosecuting, Lynne Matthews told the court Evans chatted to the woman at the club and they left together, with him suggesting they go for a curry.

"They left the club together with her stressing that there would be nothing at the end of the meal for him," Mrs Matthews said.

It was after they had a takeaway snack, Mrs Matthews added, that Evans' mood blackened.

The alleged victim told the court: "We were about a quarter of the way down Euclid Street and I told him I didn't want him to come with me any further and walked off.

"The next thing I knew I was grabbed from behind, around my throat, and lifted off the floor. He was strangling me and I was choking, I couldn't breathe. I asked him to put me down. I thought he was just mucking about. He just said 'Shut up or I'll kill you'."

It was then, the woman added, that Evans punched her to the floor. After forcing her to do an improper act he raped her, she said, before punching her to the floor again as she screamed. He then left her.

It was after police put out an appeal in the Evening Advertiser for help in finding her attacker that information emerged which led them to Evans. After a medical examination, Evans was found to have an injury to his hand described as a "boxer's fracture".

Defending, Marc Willers asked the woman if she told Evans she was a stripper. She denied it.

Mr Willers then asked her if she had consented to having sex for money, which she also denied.

Mr Willers claimed that the woman consented to have sex for £80 at first and then £60. She denied this.

"It was an earning opportunity for Christmas and for paying your rent," said Mr Willers.

The woman replied: "He punched me. I was scared and frightened and in pain. He didn't pay me any money. He raped me."

The case continues