Andrew Marsh is on trial at Maidstone Crown Court

by Keith Hunt

A father has told how he was beaten up by the husband of a woman who claimed he raped her more than 10 years ago.

The husband used Facebook to track down Andrew Marsh and attack him as he lay in bed suffering from flu, a court heard.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, managed to trace 30-year-old Marsh through a friend.

The woman told her husband she had been raped as a teenager during a row about a lack of intimacy in their marriage.

Marsh, of Bockenham House, The Fairway, Rochester, denies raping and indecently assault the schoolgirl in early 2001.

He said in evidence he first heard about the allegation when the woman's husband went to his home last year.

"he started punching me, punching me in the head, shoulder, back and arm. he caused a massive cut down the side of my face..." – rape trial defendant andrew marsh

"I don't know him at all," he told Maidstone Crown Court. "My mum answered the door."

When told the man's name, he said he thought it was a local loan officer collecting money.

"I was in bed because I had flu," he said. "I was dazed and confused and feeling very weak because it was a very strong flu case. Before I could even get out of bed he came into my room."

The husband mentioned his wife's name and asked Marsh if he knew her.

"I said I know a few," he continued. "He said: 'Who you knew 10 years ago. I am her husband. You raped her.'

"I said: 'What the f***?' He started punching me, punching me in the head, shoulder, back and arm. He caused a massive cut down the side of my face.

"I was shouting at him: 'What the f***? It wasn't me. I didn't do anything.'"

Marsh said he had been contacted the night before by a woman friend about where he lived.

She said somebody he knew wanted to get in touch with him.

"She said it was about a surprise party and someone wanted to send me an invite," Marsh told the jury of seven men and five women.

"I was unsure about giving my address. I said it was fine to let the person have my phone number."

Then he received a text from the woman's husband, not knowing who he was, and gave him his address.

"I was very weak, but I was angry about what happened," he said. "I thought she (the friend) was in on it to get me beaten up. I give this person my number and all of a sudden I get beaten up.

"I felt like something was going on. She said she would find out what was going on."

She later told him the woman was saying he had raped her.

"I didn't respond because I thought it was absolutely ridiculous," he said. "I had known her for a while and I did not think she would do anything so crass."

He denied telling the friend he "messed around" with the girl and it was all consensual. "I said I kissed her," he claimed. "I never used the words messing around because it could be anything."

The court has heard Marsh was running a grocer's shop in Chatham High Street at the time and the store was often visited by schoolgirls.

Marsh, who was 27 and married, was described as being "very friendly, chatty and flirty".

A relationship between Marsh and the teenager developed into cuddling and French kissing, said Isobel Ascherson, prosecuting.

But, shortly before her birthday, it is alleged, Marsh led the girl into an alleyway off The Brook, pinned her against a wall and raped her.

Marsh denied in evidence that he went up the alleyway with the girl or that he had sex with her.

"We did regrettably kiss once affectionately," he said. "It was a 10-second French kiss with tongues. It was something that shocked me. I was quite ashamed.

"She was a young girl. She had a partner and I had a partner. We had a baby on the way. Everything was wrong about it. I felt so stupid that I got into that situation.

"I never touched her physically on her body. I am saying she is lying about it."

The jury has retired to consider a verdict.