Christopher Harkins tells trial he has never assaulted a female

Christopher Harkins, 37, is on trial at the High Court in Paisley where he faces three charges of rape against a 31-year-old between September and October 2018.

Harkins, of Helensburgh, is further accused of further sexual offences against her and another woman.

Harkins is also stated to have assaulted a third woman to the danger of her life and allegedly assaulted a fourth woman.

The total of 18 charges span between January 2013 and May 2019.

The court heard from Harkins who told jurors that he has a gambling problem since working at William Hill bookmakers when he was 18.

Harkins was asked by his defence counsel Frances Connor if the woman he is accused of raping was reluctant with him.

He replied: "No."

Jurors earlier heard from the woman that she was filmed while having sex with "persistent" Harkins without consent at his home in Cumbernauld, Lanarkshire.

Miss Connor asked what would have happened if the woman asked him to stop filming, to which Harkins replied: "Stopped straight away."

He also refuted the woman's evidence that she "pushed" Harkins away.

The woman had told jurors of another occasion where she claimed to have been raped at his mother's house in Glasgow's Newlands after they watched a Conor McGregor MMA fight.

Miss Connor asked if he thought the woman was not willing to have sex with him.

She replied: "Definitely not."

He also denied sexually assaulting the woman on another occasion while she was sleeping.

Harkins accepted taking money from the woman, which he gambled, and stated she had a "right to be angry" about it.

Miss Connor then asked if he physically assaulted the woman which he replied: "I have never assaulted any female."

Miss Connor: "Did you sexually assault her?"

Harkins: "Absolutely not."

Harkins earlier denied “lifting hands” towards the first woman who gave evidence at trial.

Harkins did admit that there were arguments and name calling. 

Jurors earlier heard in the trial from three woman who stated Harkins “isolated” her and made her feel like she “walked on egg shells.”

The woman claimed Harkins grabbed her hair, swung her backwards and threw her laptop which smashed.

Harkins stated that he did throw the laptop amid claims that she cheated on him, but said he didn't know if the laptop broke.

He later claimed that the relationship ended with her after he cheated with the second woman who gave evidence at the trial.

The woman told jurors that Harkins kicked her which made her drop nail polish on her couch.

She also recalled incidents where “controlling” Harkins grabbed her face, pulled her hair, pinned her to a bed and choked her to the point she thought she was going to die. 

Miss Connor asked her client if he and the woman had a physical fight.

Harkins replied: “No.”

Miss Connor: "What about pinning her to bed and seizing her throat?"

Harkins: "No."

Miss Connor: "Did you kick nail polish out of her hand?"

Harkins: "I don't know where she got that from, it's complete lies."

Harkins claimed that relationship ended after he was found to have cheated with another woman.

The jury heard that Harkins met the final woman, who gave evidence online, in 2019.

The court was told that Harkins filmed sexual activity between the pair which he claimed she was "totally fine" with.

Harkins claimed that the pair also exchanged intimate pictures with each other and also took part in "phone sex" on Facetime.

Prosecutor Scott McKenzie put it to Harkins that the woman did not consent to being filmed during sex.

He replied: “She did consent. She absolutely did. She put a pillow over her head so her face wasn’t in it - that’s all she wanted was for her face not to be in it.”

Mr McKenzie asked: “Was she not reacting to her discovering that’s what you were doing?”

Harkins replied: “Not true.”

Mr McKenzie put it to Harkins that on that occasion he had sex with her without consent and raped her.

He said: “Not true, definitely did not.”

In relation to the alleged rape after the Conor McGregor fight, Mr McKenzie stated that the woman claimed to have told him she did not want to have sex as they shared a wall with Harkins’ mum.

He replied: “Not true, we already had sex.”

Harkins also denied being “persistent” with her.

Harkins later denied a third incident where the woman claimed to wake up to him having sex with her.

Mr McKenzie said: “You didn’t stop and after she pushed you away.”

Harkins replied: “That’s complete lies.”

Mr McKenzie: “You grabbed her neck and held her down.”

Harkins: “Didn’t happen.”

Harkins is accused of causing her to participate in a sexual act without consent.

The trial, before Judge Alistair Watson, continues.