A WOMAN has spoken from behind a screen about the 'living nightmare' she suffered at the hands of the man she has accused of raping her.

Lee Collins, aged 31, of Tunnel Hill, Worcester, denied two counts of rape and one of putting someone in fear of violence at his trial at Worcester Crown Court today.

The alleged victim, who cannot be identified, gave evidence behind a screen before a jury of seven men and five women.

She was asked at times to keep her voice up so the jury could hear her, describing how the defendant took cocaine and smoked cannabis, had taken her bank card and used it without her consent, had grabbed her by her arms and throat and hit her in the face with an open hand.

She said of the defendant: "I was scared of him. He petrified me."

The woman described how she suffered 'a meltdown' after what happened. "It was a living nightmare. I wanted it to come to an end. It was too much."

She was asked by prosecutor Michael Hall if she had thoughts of ending her own life and she said that she did. To begin with she was too scared to tell police what had happened to her.

A video recording of the complainant's interview had already been played to the jury at the end of last week.

During one encounter she said how she swore at the defendant and told him 'just go' and to leave her alone but he told her to 'shut up'. She also told the jury how Collins called her a 'sly snake' because he thought she was calling police.

She was asked how many times Collins had forced her to have sex against her will apart from the two times already described.

"About four times" she said.

The woman said how eventually she made a complaint to police, making a statement because she said she was 'sick of it all'.

"I told him to go" said the woman.

"Did he?" said Mr Hall.

"No" said the victim.

"Could there be any doubt in Mr Collins's mind that you were saying no?" said Mr Hall.

"No, not really" said the woman.

Jason Aris represents Lee Collins.The presiding judge is Jim Tindal.

The trial continues.