A YOUNG mum sobbed as she relived her terror at the hands of a lorry driver who allegedly attacked and raped her after forcing himself into her home.

The woman told a jury she screamed as Andrew Courtney chased her down the street close to her Hyndburn home, in the early hours.

She said she had begged Courtney, who she said was looking at her in an evil and horrible way, not to have sex with her.

The woman told Burnley Crown Court: "I got to the point where I thought if I don't do it, he's either going to really hurt me or kill me and so I went along with it in the end."

The alleged victim was left bruised and in pain after she claimed the defendant kicked her between the legs and twice forced himself on her.

Courtney, 31, formerly of Beaconsfield Street, Great Harwood, denies assault causing actual bodily harm and rape in June.

Questioned by Howard Bradshaw, prosecuting, the woman said she had been followed to her door when she returned from a nightclub in a taxi and the defendant had come 'busting' into her home.

She claimed he grabbed hold of her, kicked her between the legs and she had started to run off down the street. When she looked back, Courtney was there and although she screamed all the way down the street, nobody helped her.

The woman said Courtney shouted at her to get back into her house and she did as she was so scared. He then followed her in, abused her and kicked her, like taking a penalty shot in football, five or six times.

She told the jury: "He totally winded me. It was horrible. He took me to the floor and I was in pain and couldn't breathe."

The complainant said she asked Courtney if she could go to the toilet and he followed her into the bathroom, stood in front of her, exposed himself and asked her to perform a sex act on him. She refused, but said she wished she had gone through with it, as she could have bitten him.

The young mother said she was crying and calling Courtney sick. She wanted to escape, managed to push him out of the way and went back downstairs. The woman told the jury the defendant said he wanted sex and stood in front of her as she was sitting in a chair,

She told the jury she kept saying no, and begged Courtney not to do anything. He then pushed her back in the chair and allegedly had sexual intercourse with her twice.

(Proceeding)