Teen 'raped schoolgirl in sea in front of thousands of people', court hears
A teenage tourist raped a 15-year-old girl in the sea in front of thousands of people after deliberately pulling her out of her depth, a court heard today.
Gabriel Marinoaica grabbed hold of the teenager as she played a game of catch with friends in the sea next to Bournemouth Pier, Dorset, it is alleged. He is said to have dragged her out to sea so she could no longer touch the bottom before placing his hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming. He then sexually assaulted and raped her, it is alleged.
The attack stopped when somebody approached them and the girl, who cannot swim, was able to make it back to shore, a jury heard. After the schoolgirl reported the matter to the police traces of semen were found on her bikini bottoms but they did not match any DNA in the police database.
It was another 11 months before Marinoaica was identified through police inquiries and a public appeal and his DNA was taken which matched the sample on the girl's bikini. He claimed that he thought the girl was aged either 17 or 18 and that they had consensual sex. Marinoaica, 19, is on trial for one charge of rape and four counts of sexual assault in connection to the incident that happened on July 18, 2021, one of the hottest days of that year.
Bournemouth Crown Court heard the girl and two friends, from Bournemouth, had been playing a game of catch in the sea before Marinoaica approached them. Ellie Fargin, prosecuting, told Bournemouth Crown Court: "They were there to enjoy a Sunday afternoon playing in the sea and sunbathing. Initially all was well until [the girl] was sexually assaulted and raped by this defendant in the sea.
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"The beach was very very busy that day, one of the hottest days of the year. On one of the occasions in the sea they were all playing with a ball with a group of people in the shallows. While [her friends] had been talking to the males, the ball had got lost and landed in the water just in front of the defendant. He picked it up.
"She threw it back to the group, at that point the defendant touched [her] arm and said 'come with me'. He started asking her questions about her name and where she was from. He grabbed hold of her arm and began to pull her out to sea. She could no longer reach the bottom, she really was in deep water. She told him 'no get off me' but he ignored her.
"She said he was touching her everywhere. She told him again she was uncomfortable and wanted to get out. He pulled her out further and asked 'shall we smash?' She knew this meant to have sex, she told him once again 'no, I'm not comfortable with that'. He started to touch her bottom.. he then moved her bikini bottoms aside and with one hand on her bottom and the other over her mouth and penetrated.
"It lasted for about a minute, it seemed to stop when someone came over to the pair of them. She managed at that stage to push the defendant off and tried to get back to shore, she couldn't swim. The defendant had taken [the girl] well out of her depth, made her vulnerable, she couldn't even swim. He might not have known that, but perhaps knew she couldn't touch the floor. Why did he do that? So he could do what he wanted to her. That's what he did, she did not consent and he knew that, he simply didn't care."
After Marinoaica, who was aged 17 at the time, was arrested his mobile phone was seized and three conversations were found where he had used the word 'smash' when referring to sex with other people. He was interviewed by police and said the girl had kissed him, that he thought she looked around 17 and a half or 18 and that she had put her hand in his swimming shorts and asked him 'do you want to put it in?'
He claimed it lasted between five to 20 minutes and then she told him she had to go to work at a pub. Marinoaica, from Darlaston, Walsall, West Mids, denies all the charges.The trial continues.
If you or somebody you know has been affected by this story, contact Victim Support for free, confidential advice on 08 08 16 89 111 or visit their website, http://www.victimsupport.org.uk.
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