A woman was allegedly raped by a farm worker shortly after hearing her dad had died, a court has heard.

Video of a police interview was played to Ipswich Crown Court during the trial of 56-year-old Brandon man Simon Harrington in which the alleged victim described taking the call in 2008 saying that her dad had died after being hospitalised with pancreatitis.

She said Harrington had asked her why she was so upset, to which she replied she was upset because her dad had died, claiming that he raped her soon afterwards.

In her account of the incident, she said Harrington had put a pillow over her face and she was struggling to breathe, while she was trying to get away from him.

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She told police: "I was just in complete shock and he said 'are you alright now? At least that has stopped you from crying'".

During Friday's hearing, the court also heard a separate allegation that Harrington anally raped the same woman, causing some bleeding and internal injury.

Giving evidence before the court, the woman was asked by Harrington's defence counsel Joanne Eley why she had not reported the incidents to the police until 2020, to which she replied that she did not believe coming forward "would help in any way".

Harrington, of North Court, has pleaded not guilty to a number of offences.

These include four offences of rape in relation to one alleged victim, two offences of sexual assault of a child relating to a second alleged victim and two offences of indecent assault, three offences of assault of a child by penetration and two offences of sexual activity with a child in relation to a third alleged victim.

The hearing also heard how an alleged child victim of Harrington had resorted to self-harming and had later said "Jimmy Saville" after being asked about her problems with Harrington, an apparent reference to the TV personality and sex offender.

The trial continues...

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