A woman had been drinking heavily when she woke up to find a man on top of her having sex with her, a court heard.

Scott Piper had joined a drinking session at a flat in October 2007. The 28-year-old at first denied having intercourse with the woman but later claimed: "She raped me."

Piper, of Drawbridge Close, Maidstone, also made threats to the victim and her boyfriend in an attempt to stop her giving evidence against him.

He denied rape and witness intimidation but was convicted by a jury by an 11-1 majority. He was remanded in custody until sentence on March 13.

Maidstone Crown Court heard the victim had several drinks at a friend’s home as they listened to music. Piper arrived at the flat in Gravesend late in the evening.

They eventually all went to sleep in the same room. Edmund Fowler, prosecuting, said the victim kept her vest, jeans and underwear on.

He said: "She felt a tugging at her jeans. Then, she suddenly woke up. She found the defendant was on top of her and appeared to have nothing on. She shouted: ‘What do you think you are doing?’

"He jumped off, claiming not to have been anywhere near her. She realised her trousers and knickers had been removed."

The woman called the police and then went to Darent Valley Hospital to be examined.

Piper at first claimed nothing had happened - but about a week later he said the victim had raped him. Forensic tests revealed Piper’s partial DNA on the woman’s underwear.

Mr Fowler said in June last year the woman was out with her boyfriend when they saw Piper. He said sex would not have happened if she had not wanted it to.

"He said he would lose his kids if he went down and they would regret it," said the prosecutor. "They went to the police."

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