A woman was dragged into a graveyard and raped near a tombstone after a night out, a court heard.

She had been followed by her alleged attacker, George Orwa, after she left a bar in the High Street in Sittingbourne to walk home, a jury was told.

The woman told how people passed by St Michael’s churchyard without going to her aid after the 33-year-old supermarket worker forced himself on her.

“I screamed at him to leave me alone,” she said. “I screamed at him I was going to call the police and he left.”

The woman, who is in her 40s, had been out in August last year with a friend and had been drinking heavily. They ended up at another bar at about 11.30pm.

Prosecutor Martin Yale said she and her friend went onto the dance floor. Married Orwa started dancing behind her. She danced with him for a while and then moved away.

CCTV showed the friends leaving the bar at 1.20am. Orwa, who comes from Kenya, left 30 seconds later.

She started to walk home alone, despite her friend suggesting they shared a taxi.

Despite living in the opposite direction, Orwa followed her. CCTV cameras in the High Street showed the woman was “not entirely steady on her feet at times”.

She recalled him grabbing her and telling her he wanted to walk her home. She declined the offer.

They reached the churchyard, which is not covered by CCTV cameras.

“He grabbed her arm and pushed her into the graveyard,” said Mr Yale. “He threw her into a gravestone. She described it as a big gravestone or plaque.

“Mr Orwa held her down. He kept saying he loved her. He said she was a sweet girl and he had never been with an English girl before.

“He was leaning on her. She froze. She was unable to get him off her. He pulled her trousers down.”

He unzipped his own trousers and raped her despite her protests, it was alleged.

She hit him on the head. She pulled up her trousers and went to the nearby bus stop and called the police.

Orwa, of Agate Court, Sonora Fields, Sittingbourne, denies rape.

The trial continues.