HK traveller 'raped' by UK host
A Hong Kong tourist was raped by a man who offered her free accommodation through a travellers' website, a British court has heard.
Prosecutors said the 29-year-old Hong Kong woman was raped by Moroccan national Abdelali Nachet in the northern city of Leeds, The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday. She met the man on the website couchsurfing.com.
The website lets travellers search for 'hosts' with whom they can stay for free in different parts of the world. Well known among budget travellers, the site is gaining popularity in Hong Kong after being featured in media reports. The woman had stayed at the homes of other strangers she met through the website - including single men - across Europe without incident, Leeds Crown Court heard.
After spotting Nachet's profile, the woman exchanged e-mails with the 34-year-old. She travelled from England's West Midlands to Leeds on March 5 and met the host before going back to his flat. After playing music and asking the woman to dance, Nachet started making sexual advances, prosecutor Simon Philips said. He raped her twice and sexually assaulted her in an ordeal that lasted all night, prosecutors said.
Mr Philips said the victim tried to escape but tripped in the hall, and Nachet told her: 'If you try to run away I will kill you and after that I will kill myself.' Mr Philips added: 'She submitted; she never consented. He was aware of this but was persistent. He went on and on for a long time.'
Nachet denied two counts of rape and one of sexual assault. When arrested he said the woman had consented. The case continues.
Hongkonger Emily Mak, 23, has used the website and said she was shocked by the news: 'When I am travelling alone, I won't stay with a man.' Out of 150,000 members, the site has 1,830 Hong Kong members.
