Alex Hepburn trial: Cricketer accused of raping sleeping woman who just had sex with teammate claims 'she was enjoying it'
23-year-old breaks down when asked about WhatsApp sex 'game'
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A former county cricketer has denied that he raped a sleeping woman and insisted "she was enjoying" what he thought was a consensual sexual encounter.
Alex Hepburn is alleged to have attacked the woman, who legally cannot be named, as she lay in his friend Joe Clarke's bed after having sex with him.
Mr Hepburn told jurors at Worcester Crown Court that he was drunk at the time of the alleged offence in April 2017 and had entered his friend's bedroom because he had previously arranged to sleep there.
"After I had got myself into bed, that's when I first realised that there was a woman in the bed," he said. "The lighting was dim. You couldn't make out the door on the other side of the room but you could see what was in front of you and around. She rolled over towards me. She kissed me."
He added that he recognised the woman before she kissed him and that her eyes were open during the 20 minute encounter.
"She was enjoying it," he said. "She was actively engaged with me."
The 23-year-old said that the woman then pushed him off and and asked him what he was doing.
"She asked me where Joe was and I replied that he was in the bathroom," Mr Hepburn said, adding that her reaction left him "shocked and confused".
"I was under the impression that what we had been doing was absolutely normal," he said.
Mr Clarke, who plays for the England Lions, previously told the court that he had left his room to be sick, following a bout of heavy drinking on a night out. He then fell asleep in the bathroom.
The alleged victim previously testified that she was asleep when Mr Hepburn initiated sexual contact and then wrongly thought she was having sex with Mr Clarke.
Mr Hepburn, who was previously an all-rounder for Worcestershire County Cricket Club, was born in Australia and moved to England in 2013 to pursue his cricketing career.
Along with Mr Clarke, the court had heard that Mr Hepburn was part of a sexual conquest "game" and it is alleged that they were WhatsApp "stat chat" group, which kept a record of the members' sexual encounters with women.
Mr Hepburn said he was "completely embarrassed" at comments he made in the chat.
"My family has had to see them," he said of the messages. "It was meant to be nothing more than immature chat between a group of friends. No thought went into it."
Prosecuting, barrister Miranda Moor QC told him: "This is a case about you, fired up by this 'game' you were so keen to play with your mates taking advantage of a girl that you knew was asleep in Joe's bed."
"Not true," the 23-year-old replied
As Hepburn sobbed in the dock, Ms Moore continued "the reason you are crying now is the world knows how you behave."
The trial continues.
Additional reporting by agencies
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.