A York man allegedly attempted to rape his pen pal at knife point when she refused his sexual advances, a jury has heard.

The woman just wanted friendship with Christopher Kevin Bateman whom she first got to know through a contact column in a magazine for Heavy Metal fans, alleged Kate Buckingham, prosecuting.

But the 28-year-old Huntington man wanted more, the court heard.

When she was staying at his dead grandmother's house, he twice went into her bedroom naked and got into bed with her.

On the second occasion he tore her nightclothes off her and held a knife at her, saying that he was going to rape her "if that is what it takes" the jury at York Crown court heard.

Bateman of Hemlock Avenue, Huntington, denies attempted rape and indecent assault in April 1999.

Opening the prosecution, Mrs Buckingham said that the couple got to know each other through a pen pal club run by a magazine.

They started exchanging letters in February '99 and progressed to phone calls and a day out in Sheffield.

She told him she did not want sex, and after initial advances he said he would wait until she was ready, claimed Mrs Buckingham.

In April, at Bateman's invitation, she and he stayed in separate bedrooms in his deceased grandmother's home. The woman put on a nightdress, pants and shorts before going to sleep.

In the early hours she heard the defendant walk into her room.

"He was naked. He got into bed with her under the covers" alleged Mrs Buckingham.

"When asked what he was doing, he replied: 'What do you think?"

He indecently assaulted her and left the room.

Mrs Buckingham claimed it was obvious to Bateman that the woman did not want sex.

At 8am the next morning, Bateman again entered the woman's bedroom naked and got into bed with her.

The jury heard that the woman asked: "Are you going to rape me?"

"Yes, if that's what it takes," was Bateman's alleged reply

The woman tried to push him away, but despite her struggles, he managed to take her night-clothes off, tearing two buttons out of her nightie as he did so.

Mrs Buckingham alleged that he had a knife with him and tried to force the woman's legs apart.

She was crying and in distress and felt like giving in to him.

But then he stopped and said he couldn't believe what he had just done and that he must be mad.

Mrs Buckingham claimed Bateman went out of the house, leaving the woman crying in the bedroom.

When she heard he had gone, she phoned a friend and said Bateman had tried to rape her.

She returned to Worksop immediately and Bateman was arrested that evening.

He claimed to police he had only entered the woman's room once during the night when he touched her legs and hip.

He completely denied that the alleged attempted rape had taken place.

The trial continues.

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