A MAN accused of raping a 13-year-old boy at a multi-storey car park was arrested almost eight years later following a DNA match, a court was told.

Preston Crown Court was told DNA evidence taken during "a routine traffic stop" revealed a match linking Suleman Vapiwala, 45, of Sussex Drive, Blackburn, to the alleged offence. Vapiwala denies rape and his trial got underway yesterday.

Fiorella Brereton, prosecuting, told a jury the boy was raped by a man at Blackburn's multi-storey car park on June 12, 1999.

The court was shown an interview taped when the boy was 13. In it, he described the alleged rape as "horrible and horrendous".

Giving evidence at court yesterday, the boy said: "I felt like I wasn't in my own body and I felt sick, dirty and scared."

Defence barrister Irshad Sheikhin asked why he did not shout for help. The boy said: "How was I to know what he was going to do? I was scared to death."

Ms Brereton said the teenager had been to McDonalds in the town centre with family and friends before leaving at 6pm.

The court heard that the boy went and sat on benches outside British Home Stores and Marks & Spencer in Blackburn town centre and was approached by Vapiwala.

Mrs Brereton said: "The defendant spoke of splitting up with his wife, of having no friends and wanted to go to Nobels, a gaming establish-ment in the town centre.

"During the course of the conversation he asked the boy how old he was and he told him he was 13. The defendant then asked him if he would go with him because he had got something to show him."

Mrs Brereton said the boy was reluctant, but went with him up a few flights of stairs leading to the multi-storey car park. The court heard that Vapiwala put his hand down the teen's tracksuit bottoms and touched him before moving to another part of the car park and forcing him to do the same.

Mrs Brereton said Vapiwala then told the boy to face away from him and raped him.

After, the defendant told the boy he would bring his car, giving the youngster chance to flee, the court heard.

The boy ran to a security officer and told her what had happened. The police and his parents were contacted before he was taken to Blackburn police station.

He was examined by medical experts before being interviewed by police the following day. Mrs Brereton said scientists examined the boy's underwear and found the DNA profile of an unknown male.

The court heard that during "a routine traffic stop" last December Vapiwala's DNA was found to match that found on the underpants.

He was arrested on December 22 and taken to the police station for questioning.

During interview he claimed he couldn't remember what he had been doing on June 12 and said there should be no reason for his DNA to connect him to the offence.

He denied committing any sexual offence with the boy and told police he was not homosexual.

Mrs Brereton said Vapiwala does accept he indecently assaulted the teenager but says it was a sexual encounter initiated by the boy.

(Proceeding)