A man facing allegations he snuck into the home of a Peterhead mum and sexually assaulted her has been accused of telling “a pack of lies” about what happened.
Ramunas Smitras, 32, is standing trial at Aberdeen Sheriff Court accused of sexually assaulting the woman in the early hours of April 27 2013.
A total of three women in Peterhead have accused Smitras of sexual assaults.
He is alleged to have attacked another woman at the town’s Caley Bar by repeatedly touching her on the body between March 1 and March 31 2013.
He is further accused of assaulting a third woman at Drummer’s Corner in Peterhead town centre by repeatedly seizing her and touching her on the body.
Smitras, a former welder, denies all the charges against him.
As Smitras gave evidence at Aberdeen Sheriff Court, fiscal depute Lynne MacVicar put it to him that he was “significantly minimising” what happened in relation to his female accusers.
“When you say that you didn’t assault these ladies, you’ve told a pack of lies to this jury, haven’t you?” she said.
“You’ve not told the truth to them. I suggest that all the witnesses the jury heard from all told the truth – except you.”
“Definitely not,” Smitras replied.
Accused claims woman ran when she saw him
Smitras, who denies all the charges against him, told the court that on the morning of April 27 2013 he had left a friend’s house and wanted to see if a party at the woman’s home was still going on.
He then entered her flat via the back door and entered her bedroom, where he claims she woke up and ran out of the house.
“I was the stranger in her house and she was frightened of me – so she ran,” he said.
However, the woman told the court last week that the stranger – whom she identified as Smitras – appeared in her bedroom with his trousers down.
She claims she struggled with the man in her bedroom before breaking free of his grasp and barricading herself in the bathroom.
The 33-year-old woman – who was 24 at the time of the alleged incident – then said she made a bolt for the front door, but was again grabbed by the intruder.
The pair struggled in her living room and she ended up on the sofa underneath the man, who she said was trying to rape her.
The woman said she eventually broke free of her attacker and dashed for the door, escaping into the street.
European arrest made in 2021
During evidence, it was also revealed by Smitras’s defence advocate Drew McKenzie that his client had fled to Germany after being charged by police in Aberdeen.
He was later brought back on a European arrest warrant in July 2021.
Mr McKenzie asked: “When you were in Germany in March 2021 were you arrested on a European arrest warrant in relation to the proceedings that the ladies and gentlemen of the jury are now hearing about?
“And were you then brought back to Scotland on July 21 2021 and gave you been in Saughton Prison in Edinburgh awaiting these proceedings?”
“Yes,” Smitras replied.
The jury has now retired to consider its verdict in the trial, which is before Sheriff Morag McLaughlin.
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
