Convicted sex attacker '˜locked woman in Hull flat and raped her' months after release from prison

Ryan Ashman, 32, is accused of beating and raping a 33-year-old woman, leaving her with a fractured cheekbone.

Ashman was jailed for five years in 2011 for dragging a 16-year-old girl off the street and raping her five times.

He was released from custody last year.

Patrick Palmer, prosecuting, said Ashman allegedly raped his latest victim twice despite her telling him to stop.

She managed to escape while he was using the bathroom.

Mr Palmer said: “He kept saying that it was her fault and that she had been teasing him.”

Hull Crown Court heard the woman, who died in April, knew Ashman as her and her partner had lived with him for a few weeks.

The court heard the woman’s death was not linked to the alleged injuries she sustained at the hands of Ashman.

She left Ashman’s house after learning about his previous conviction.

Mr Palmer said: “Police warned her not to stay at the address.

“They say they couldn’t tell her why. She discovered information about his past conviction. She left the address.”

Mr Palmer told the court the woman had lived a troubled life and was a drug addict.

She had no contact with him after leaving the flat until February 15 when she intended to meet her drug dealer who was also called Ryan.

Mr Palmer said: “She had called the wrong Ryan. She had a conversation with the defendant. She then hung up. Unfortunately, this had renewed the defendant’s interest in her.”

Ashman tried to call the woman back, but she ignored his calls.

Mr Palmer said the woman had arranged to meet her dealer on Walliker Street in Hull, where Ashman lived.

After getting off a bus just after 9pm she felt a tug from behind.

Mr Palmer said: “She turned and saw the defendant. He started pushing her towards his flat. He kept pushing her and saying things like he was worried about her. It made little sense to her. He got her in his flat and locked the door.

“He got her a Valentine’s Day card. He told her, ‘******* have that. They talked for a while. There came a stage where he pushed her. She started telling him to stop, with that he punched her to the left side of the face.”

Ashman had written inside the card: “Please give me another chance. I will never stop thinking about you. You drive me crazy.”

Ashman told police they had consensual sex and claimed her injuries had been caused during a knife-related “scuffle” she had with another woman before they man.

He denies two counts of rape, inflicting grevious bodily harm and false imprisonment.

The trial continues.