A WOMAN giving evidence at the trial of a man she has accused of raping her has denied the pair were in any form of relationship.

Giving evidence as a witness in the trial of Benjamin James Kershaw, the woman, who cannot be named, said it wasn’t true 'in any form'.

However, under cross-examination by Daniel Travers, who is representing Kershaw, she did admit to forgetting about another occasion she went out with the defendant.

She was told about 41-year-old Kershaw’s defence by a police officer in April of this year, during which she was informed was based around the fact the pair had been in an intimate relationship for a number of weeks.

As a result of that meeting with police, the woman made a further statement, denying there had ever been any form of relationship, but she did admit to going out with Kershaw to Piccolino in Chester at some point before between January 13 and 19, 2018.

When Mr Travers asked her why she had failed to mention this in her video interview with police and during a 101-call made just days before that, she said she had 'probably forgot'.

However, she denied there had been any other nights out with the defendant, barring the event she attended with him in Manchester when she said went as 'his plus one'.

She also denied wearing a pair of very expensive Christian Louboutin shoes that Kershaw had bought for her, either for the evening in Manchester or the one in Chester.

When prosecuting barrister Mark Connor asked about Kershaw’s claim the pair had been in a relationship for a number of weeks, she said: “Absolutely not.

“That’s not true – it wasn’t a relationship in any form.

“That time in Manchester was never a date – we were never in a relationship.

“I didn’t want a relationship with him, I was quite certain about that.”

When asked about Kershaw’s claim to have stayed at her home on more than one occasion, she added: “That is absolutely not true.

“He has only been to my home once.”

The trial also heard from another witness, a friend of the woman, who told the jury how she had 'a hunch' something wasn’t right when speaking with her in Northwich market in August 2019.

“I asked her if he had raped her,” she said.

“And she said yes.”

The trial continues.