SOLDIER RAPES TEENAGER,SAYS "YOU DON'T LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH"

Soldier accused of raping teenager claims he had sex 'because you don't look a gift horse in the mouth'.Avan Mogridge has also told a court the alleged victim was making the story up because she was embarrassed.

A soldier accused of raping 18-year-old claims he had sex with a total stranger because "you don't look a gift horse in the mouth".

Avan Mogridge has also told a court the alleged victim was making the story up because she was embarrassed.The 32-year-old Deepcut army recruit has told a court she made up her story after a couple caught the pair in the bushes as they walked their dog.

Mogridge is accused of dragging the teenager into woodland near Guildford Spectrum on the morning of October 22, 2016.

The defendant,of Stamford, Lincs, denies two charges of rape, two charges of sexual assault by penetration and one of making a threat to kill, Get Surrey has reported.Mogridge said he lost his virginity to a woman but he added: “Since then, my relationships have been with men.”

Mogridge said he had a 13-year-relationship with a man which had broken up by mutual agreement:"Since then, I have had sex with five or six men,” he said.

He was asked about a text found on his phone which said: “When I’m with a woman, I’m the one who is in control.”

Mogridge said the message was a joke with a female member of the army: “My fantasy is to be controlled by men, not to be controlling of women,” he said.

He agreed he had chatted to a young woman in Guildford town centre shortly before the alleged rape: “She offered to have sex with me if I gave her £100,” he said.

Mogridge said he handed over the money but then lost interest after learning from one of her friends that she was only 15.He denied there had been any violence between him and a male friend of her’s.

When Mogridge was asked if he had demanded his money back, he said: “No. I didn’t think about the money at that time.”He admitted he had been drinking but he denied following the woman and her friends.

Shortly afterwards, he said, he found himself near the Spectrum centre where he bumped into the complainant.

“I said ‘good morning’ to her because I’m a friendly person and I try to get on with anybody. She said ‘Good Morning’ back to me,” said Mogridge.

He told the court the 18-year-old became “flirty” and started coming close to him: “She did kiss me. I was surprised at first,” said Mogridge.

He said the two of them moved off towards the footpath when he tripped over something and added: “I fell over and reached out to grab something.”

Mogridge said he accidentally caught hold of the 18-year-old: “I ended up pulling her down with me,” said the defendant.“She undid my belt and I realised what she was trying to do,” he said.

Mogridge said the girl asked him: “Will you f**k me?”

He said he could not get an erection but he tried digital penetration and engaged in oral sex.

Mogridge agreed the sexual activity went on for between 45 to 50 minutes until they were disturbed by two dog walkers.It was then the girl broke away from him and told the couple that she had been raped: “Shock crashed in. It was total disbelief,” he said.

Asked why he had agreed to have sex with a total stranger, Mogridge replied: “You don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”

He said he had never held the girl against her will or tried to strangle her – and insisted that she had “made up” the attack.

Questioned as to why the complainant would make up such “appalling allegations,” Mogridge said: “I can only assume that she was embarrassed.”

He went on: “When you say something like that, you have to stick with it or be called a liar which most people don’t like.”

Mogridge denied threatening to kill the girl. He said he realised that at some point in his army career he might have to shoot someone.

“I struggle to come to terms with that,” said the defendant.

Mogridge said he had talked to the army chaplain about the ethics involved.

“I hope I would do the right thing. But I find great difficulty in hurting anybody,” he said.

The trial continues.