A teenager who claims she was raped in an Ipswich park has denied telling a court “a string of lies.”

Giving evidence at Ipswich Crown Court, the 17-year-old girl insisted she was telling the truth about allegedly being raped by 39-year-old Dara Abdullah in Sherrington Park in June last year.

Cross-examined by defence counsel Lindsay Cox she denied she had made up the rape allegation to get attention.

She admitted that in February last year – four months before the alleged rape by Abdullah – she had told staff at the college she was attending that she had been raped multiple times over a period of months by a man she had been seeing.

She agreed she had been interviewed by police about the allegations, but had later told police she didn’t want to continue any further with the complaint.

When Mr Cox accused her of telling said to her a “string of lies” about the alleged attack by Abdullah the teenager replied: “I have told the truth.”

Abdullah, of Alyssum Walk, Colchester has denied rape and two offences of assault by penetration in June last year.

It has been alleged that Abdullah introduced himself to the alleged victim while she was out dog walking with a friend in Little Bramford Lane, Ipswich.

After the alleged victim’s friend left, Abdullah allegedly grabbed hold of her sleeve and walked her to a grassy area away from the main path in Sherrington Park where he allegedly sexually assaulted and raped her.

Afterwards Abdullah had allegedly thrown a £10 note in her direction.

Police later took swabs from the scene of the alleged attack and found Abdullah’s DNA on the ground and in her underwear, said Miss May.

After his arrest he claimed the alleged victim had made sexual advances towards him and had asked for money.

He said she had removed her clothing and wanted him to have sex with her, but he had been unable to.

The court will not be sitting today and the case will resume tomorrow.