A woman allegedly raped by a Tory aide in a Kent MP's Westminster office wanted to go to the press the day after the attack, a court heard.

And during the alleged rape, the victim was asked 'how does the size suit the lady?' it was alleged.

Samuel Armstrong, 24, the chief of staff to South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay, is accused of raping the woman in the early hours of October 14 last year.

The alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been drinking with Armstrong in the Sports and Social Bar, in Parliament.

After the alleged rape in Mr Mackinlay's office, the distressed woman was found by cleaners wandering the corridors of Westminster.

Armstrong's trial at Southwark Crown Court today continued to hear from the complainant, who gave evidence from behind a screen and at times fought back tears as she spoke.

Under cross examination, Sarah Forshaw QC for the defence put it to the victim that the sex was consensual, the victim undressed herself and one point she even threw papers on the floor and bent over a desk as sex on the sofa was too awkward.

The barrister said: "Do you remember him saying, 'How does the size suit the lady?' A bit like a tailor might, I suppose. And you said it suited you very well?"

The victim said: "No."

The court also heard the victim had had sex earlier in the evening with her boyfriend at her flat at about 7pm before heading to parliament to meet with Armstrong.

She was also asked about a message she sent to her boyfriend just 15 hours after the attack which revealed a reporter for The Sun newspaper knew about the alleged rape.

In the text message she wrote: "I have given it to Harry Cole who works for the Sun. It will be either in the Mail On Sunday's or the front page of Monday's Sun."

It went on to say: "The media already know. This is my way of controlling the story and ensuring I get a sympathetic writer."

In court today, the alleged victim said: "I believe the rest of the press knew and I wanted to be able to control as much as I could. I didn't want my identity to be made public.

"I didn't know what they knew and what they were going to print."

She told the court she didn't talk to anyone directly at The Sun herself but knew a friend had.

The witness said: "You have to understand Westminster is an incredibly small place and things spread incredibly fast and people would already know."

She added: "I didn't speak to The Sun. Someone else suggested that they knew. It was one of my friends."

Asked if she gave Armstrong's name to Harry Cole, she said: "I didn't give it to him, no. I don't know what my friend gave to him."

She added: "I said before I really didn't want my identity to come out.

"It was a state where I had absolutely no control in this event and I wanted a little bit of control and it wasn't actually me that gave it to them."

Ms Forshaw QC also read out another message from March this year in which she said she was 'not happy' about Armstrong being charged.

The complaint said: "Yes, I wanted more time to think if I wanted to continue with this."

The court was also read part of the same message referring to her medical records in which she wrote, "you get more leeway to hide certain aspects and mould what comes out".

"I have given it to Harry Cole who works for the Sun. It will be either in the Mail On Sunday's or the front page of Monday's Sun" - A text message sent by the alleged victim

In the witness box, she said: "This was in regards to my medical records, and I believe when you go to the doctor that is completely confidential.

"My private life and medical life was not something I liked to shout from the rooftops and I wanted more time to think, unfortunately I didn't have more time."

When put to her that she "was not actually upset" with Armstrong after their encounter in the office, the witness replied: "Yes I was. I was completely confused and devastated in the truest sense of that word."

Ms Forshaw also put it it to the witness had "come up with the allegation" to avoid getting in trouble with parliament security for being in the palace at 2am and she couldn't take it back after she said it.

The witness said: "No, because it was the truth. I didn't need to go back on it."

The barrister said: "I do not suggest you have deliberately lied to get Sam Armstrong into trouble. I suggest you told a lie at the time, and once you told it, you knew you couldn't take it back."

The witness said: "You would be wrong."

Ms Forshaw QC put it to her that she didn't have any animosity towards Armstrong, to which the witness said: "No I don't. It's something I have struggled with for the past year."

The defence concluded by saying: "You know, don't you, that everything that happened in Craig Mackinlay's office that night was with your full consent?"

The witness said: "No absolutely not."

Yesterday, the court heard the alleged victim had a history of mental health issues.

The court also heard when she was younger there had been a question of bi-polar disorder, but said it was only considered briefly "but was dismissed quite quickly".

It was also revealed around her time of the alleged rape she had been prescribed medication to treat mild depression and anxiety.

She said: "At the time I was medically depressed, but recently I have been diagnosed with hyper mobile spectrum disorder which goes to explain why I was felling that way last year."

Sarah Forshaw QC for the defence also asked about allegations of bullying she had previously made against a professor while she was studying, which the victim agreed she had done.

The jury were told about Whatsapp messages between the defendant, the victim and a wider group before the incident, in which the phrase "bitch please" was used in a jokey way.

Ms Forshaw QC put it to the victim that during the evening of the alleged rape, the pair had made a joke about who was the most right wing and "high fived each other" before saluting "bitch please".

The defence said: "It was the only time he used the expression 'bitch' at all that night on the 13/14th of October?"

The woman denied this and was also asked why she didn't leave with others who had left earlier in the evening instead of staying in the parliamentary estate.

She said: "I didn't know who they were. I couldn't leave the building without Sam there.

"I couldn't leave until he left. You don't just leave with someone you don't know."

Ms Forshaw QC also asked her if she had danced with Armstrong as they walked through Westminster Hall, on their way to Mr Mackinlay's office, and even pirouetted at one point.

The witness said: "I don't remember dancing or pirouetting."

She was asked if she had suggested going up to the office to drink a bottle of wine.

The alleged victim said: "As I said I was extremely tired so if I did say it is would have been as a joke."

She believed she had about four or five drinks during the evening, but under cross examination she was reminded she had told officers she had more, including two shots of tequila shots and two shots of amaretto.

The victim said the drinks "rang a vague bell", but she couldn't remember.

Ms Forshaw asked if she knew not to drink while she was on anti-depressant medication, to which she said: "No, I said I don't know if I was taking it at that point."

The defence put it to the alleged victim that she had been "disinhibited" after drinks with Armstrong and found him attractive, which the victim denied.

She was asked if she found him sweet, and the witness said: "He was absolutely sweet and what I thought was a good friend."

Ms Forshaw also put it to her that she had had consensual sex with Armstrong in the office and she then had a panic attack in Parliament when she tried to get out but couldn't find the way.

The witness said: "No. I couldn't find my way out and I went to find someone. I was upset because a man had forced himself upon me."

Armstrong, of Danbury, Essex, denies two counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration, and one count of sexual assault.

The trial continues.