THE jury in the trial of a man accused of raping a 15-year-old girl in the sea of Bournemouth beach has been sent out to begin its deliberations.

Gabriel Marinoaica, 20, is charged with rape and four counts of sexual assault after an incident in the water on July 18, 2021.

The defendant has been standing trial at Bournemouth Crown Court since March 11 and denies the charges.

The alleged victim, who cannot swim, said the defendant pulled her out to sea before sexually abusing her.

Prosecutor, Ellie Fargin, said the girl and her two friends were playing with a ball in the water when the friends returned to the beach.

When the girl went to retrieve the ball, she said the defendant picked it up and initially refused to pass it back before throwing it towards her.

The girl said he asked for her name and age before pulling her arm deeper into the water, until she could not touch the bottom, and ignored her pleas let go.

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

The girl said he groped her, kissed and bit her neck before raping her for about a minute until someone approached and she managed to get away.

The girl’s two friends said she returned to the beach and began to cry.

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

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.

The jury was sent out to begin deliberations on Friday, March 15.