A WOMAN who claimed she was raped was today described as excitable and hysterical.As the trial of Edward Chambers, of Peterhouse Close, Ipswich, entered its final day the jury heard from the defence counsel.

A WOMAN who claimed she was raped was today described as excitable and hysterical.

As the trial of Edward Chambers, of Peterhouse Close, Ipswich, entered its final day the jury heard from the defence counsel.

Defending the 38-year-old, Simon Spence said the woman making the claim had ulterior motives and had timed her complaint to make maximum impact.

Addressing the jury, he added: "The woman who has made the claim is excitable and hysterical. This doesn't mean she was necessarily untruthful but you may think someone of a hysterical disposition could be unreliable."

He also questioned why it took the woman three months to make a statement to police about the alleged rape.

Yesterday Bury St Edmunds Crown Court was told the victim and the defendant had consented to have sex, but the victim asked Chambers to stop when she started experiencing pain.

She later found she was bleeding and had to spend two days in hospital following the incident, on December 13, 2002.

Mr Spence said this bleeding was not linked to the intercourse of that night and was due to a prior medical condition.

He also told the jury that his client had not intended to cause pain.

He said: "Mr Chambers said afterwards he would have stopped if he had known it was hurting. That was not the reaction of a man who minutes before had committed rape."

Mr Spence also said the pair had had sex following the woman's release from hospital.

Prosecuting, Penny Rector said the victim had made it clear she had wanted to stop having sex.

The jury retired at 11.15am and were expected to reach a verdict later today.