A MAN accused of raping and beating a woman so badly in Bournemouth's Lower Gardens that she needed surgery says he is “100 per cent” the wrong man, a court heard.

Luke West gave “no comment” during three separate police interviews.

The 29-year-old, of Warren Avenue, Southampton, is accused of rape and grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent against a 40-year-old woman in the town centre park on November 13 last year.

He denies the charges against him and claims to have fought with the woman’s actual attacker.

A jury at Winchester Crown Court, heard how when West was arrested in connection with the rape, he exclaimed: “What’s this about? What have I done? Wow.

“No, definitely not. What? You’re kidding me.”

When asked before a jury if he was the wrong man in the dock, West responded “100 per cent”.

West says that he remained silent during police interviews because he was following the advice of his legal team.

Yet he later claimed he had gone out for a walk and to meet a drug dealer in the Lower Gardens on the morning of the attack.

After taking drugs, West says, he went to relieve himself.

He said: “I heard something that did not sound quite right. I said ‘hello’ and saw a male pop his head up.

“He had a scar under his right eye. I noticed there was a leg. I said, ‘Are you all right over there?’

“I could see the female there and the injuries on her face.

“He had clearly attacked her.

“I kicked him in his head.

“He stood up looking at me like a crazy man before lunging at me.

“I was shouting for help and trying to protect myself.

“He grabbed my head and smashed it on the floor.

“I shouted for help two or three more times and with that, he got up and ran off.”

When asked in court why he had not given this information during his interviews, West said: “I can’t answer. I have made mistakes.”

The trial previously heard that West used his phone to search “how to rape and get away with it”, “how to rape a woman in daylight”, “how to surprise attack your victim” and “step-by-step guide to rape a woman”.

He said he was sexually abused at boarding school and in a children’s home and used his phone to research how this abuse happened to him.

All evidence has now been given.