AN alleged sex offender told a friend he had raped a woman, a jury at York Crown Court heard.

Prosecution witness Lee Sutherland claimed that defendant Stuart Niven confessed to him after his victim claimed Niven had attacked her.

Mr Sutherland told York Crown Court that at a meeting between the three at the woman's home, he asked Niven what had happened between him and the woman.

"He said: 'I raped her, I am sorry, I am sorry,' the witness alleged.

He disputed defence suggestions that Niven had said he had had sex with the woman and she had wanted it.

Mr Sutherland claimed that the woman then left the flat and when he followed, he found her banging her head against an outside wall.

Niven, 43, of Acomb, denies raping the woman on May 25, 2002.

Mr Sutherland told the jury he had known Niven for about 15 years, and the woman for eight.

He agreed with defence suggestions that he had spoken with Niven on the phone, between speaking to the woman and the meeting, and urged him not to go to police.

"I didn't want anything happening until we knew the facts. I wanted to get the full story," Mr Sutherland told the jury.

Earlier, Dominic Hucken, a man with learning difficulties, had said that Niven had arrived at the woman's house, where he and she were playing dominoes.

He claimed that Niven had dared him to have sex with the woman.

Mr Hucken and the woman went alone into the bathroom, but nothing happened, and they returned to the living room where Niven was.

Shortly afterwards, Niven and the woman went into the bathroom. Mr Hucken followed.

He alleged that he saw Niven take the woman's bra off, and then went into the kitchen.

Mr Hucken claimed he heard "a lot of banging" and the woman saying more than once "Get off me."

The trial continues.

Updated: 13:42 Wednesday, January 08, 2003