A MAN took a 15-year-old girl who could not swim deep into the sea before allegedly raping her near Bournemouth beach, a court has heard.

Gabriel Marinoaica, of Darlaston, Walsall, West Midlands, allegedly took the girl out of her depths before sexually assaulting her in the water.

The now 20-year-old faces trial at Bournemouth Crown Court for rape and four counts of sexual assault.

On July 18, 2021, the girl was sunbathing and swimming on the beach with two friends when they began playing with a ball in the sea with a group of people.

Prosecutor Ellie Fargin told the court that the friends left the water after a man asked for one of their numbers, making them uncomfortable.

However, the alleged victim stayed in the water to fetch the ball that had drifted towards the defendant.

She said he initially refused to give the ball back but did when asked a second time, and she threw it to her friends.

He then allegedly took her arm and told her to go with him deeper into the sea, before asking her name, age and where she was from.

He said he was called Dabi, 17 years old, and from Birmingham.

Ms Fargin said: “It was at this point the defendant pulled at (her) arm and pulled her out to sea.

“(She) could no longer touch the bottom, she really was in deep water. (She) told the defendant ‘No get off me’ but he ignored her.

“He was touching her everywhere, she was uncomfortable and wanted to get out but the defendant pulled her out further.”

He allegedly asked her if she wanted to “smash”, meaning to have sex, which she said she was not comfortable with.

She said he then groped her over her bikini, kissed and bit her neck before raping her for about a minute.

The girl added that she could not shout for help because the defendant had his hand over her mouth.

When his friend approached, the girl said she was able to push him away and get back to the water.

Ms Fargin said that both friends saw the girl approach them and begin to cry, before a family member picked her up.

Marinoaica was arrested 11 months later and semen found in the complainant’s bikini matched his DNA, Ms Fargin said.

Mitigating, Sophie Murray, told the court that the defendant said the alleged victim initiated the touching and asked him if he wanted to have sex.

Marinoaica denies a charge of rape and the trial continues.