IPSWICH: A woman has given evidence at the trial of a man accused of raping her when she was 14.

A DNA test proved that Anthony Braithwaite had fathered a child with the woman, who is one of three alleged victims to claim to have been raped by the Felixstowe chef, when aged 14 and 15, between November, 2004, and July, 2005.

The 38-year-old, of Shotley Close, denies the charges and a further charge of sexually touching a 15-year-old girl in October, 2005. Ipswich Crown Court yesterday heard from the mother of Braithwaite’s child, who told a jury she had visited his previous address on one occasion – a claim Braithwaite’s defence team disputes, claiming she attended the property a further four or five times after the alleged incident happened.

The woman said she had gone to look at clothes, which Braithwaite sold over the internet from his home, and after deciding not to buy any items accepted two glasses of Baileys from the accused.

Her next recollection, she said, was of waking up alone in Braithwaite’s bed wearing her underwear and a top, but with her trousers and trainers no longer on.

Phillip King, defending Braithwaite, suggested the woman could not have had any reason to suppose she had been raped and that because she had already become sexually active, would have “recognised the signs” of having engaged in intercourse.

The woman discovered she was pregnant on her 15th birthday. A DNA test was performed when the baby was three months old which eliminated a previous sexual partner, other than Braithwaite, as the possible father of the child. A later test proved Braithwaite to be the father.

Braithwaite was arrested in February this year and denied committing any of the offences.

After being arrested and informed by interviewing officers that he was the father of one of the alleged victim’s children, he admitted having sex with her, but said he believed her to be of a consensual age.

The trial continues.