Colleagues teased civil servant over 'rapist'

The senior civil servant allegedly raped by a member of the Lord Chancellor's staff had been teased by her colleagues that he fancied her, the Old Bailey heard today.

Michael Burrell, 36, is said to have attacked the 39-year-old woman out of anger that his advances had been spurned.

He raped her after a party in a government office in September last year, the court has been told.

Today another senior civil servant said the alleged victim had been "embarrassed and irritated" by the teasing, adding: "I don't think she liked him [Burrell] very much.

"I don't think Mike had any idea about the teasing and if he was like a normal person he would have been upset if he found out."

Bachelor Burrell, 36, from Horsham, West Sussex, had worked at the Department of Constitutional Affairs for six months before the alleged attack.

When the party broke up he manoeuvred the woman to a private room, pushed her to the floor and raped her, the jury has been told.

Burrell denies rape and indecent assault.

The case continues.