A WOMAN who says she was raped by a teacher at a Christmas party was accused of lying about the allegation so she could claim compensation.

She told a jury Jack Crosse – who was teaching maths at Llanishen High School in Cardiff – sexually assaulted her twice at Pontypool's Willpower Weightlifting gym.

But the defendant’s barrister Kevin Seal put it to her she has concocted a false story so she could claim compensation and to “cover up her behaviour”.

The complainant has received an £11,000 payment, jurors at Crosse’s trial at Cardiff Crown Court heard.

Mr Seal asked her during cross-examination: “Part of the reason behind your lies, not the whole reason, is money – compensation – isn’t it?”

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The woman replied: “No, that’s incorrect. I did not know that compensation was there or available for victims of sexual assault and rape.”

She added: “I’ve been going through this for two and a half years.

“I did not consent to any form of sex on that night.”

Weightlifter Crosse, 32, is accused by the prosecution of raping two women he’d never met before when he was “very drunk” at the party.

The gym had been turned into a makeshift bar and dancefloor for the event which had a free bar and was held in December 2019.

The defendant kissed the first woman when she was on her way to the toilet and she gave him consensual oral sex in a back room, the trial was told.

Clare Wilks, prosecuting, said: “At one stage somebody walked in on them and asked her if she was OK. She said to Jack: Am I okay?’

“When the man left Mr Crosse told her to carry on performing oral sex on him but she said no and that she had to go.

“At that point the defendant became rough and forceful, grabbing her by the waist and pulling down her trousers.”

The court heard the woman repeatedly told him to stop but she said Crosse raped her.

It is alleged the defendant raped the second woman, the complainant who received £11,000 compensation, in a “dark storage room”.

Jurors were told he forced himself upon her, pulled her trousers down and raped her twice.

Crosse was arrested the next day and told police both women had consented to sex at the party at the privately-run gym.

Miss Wilks added: “The prosecution say the defendant, drunk as he was, couldn’t care less whether they were consenting or not and that he was determined to do what he wanted to do to each of them.

“The prosecution say that those acts amount to acts of rape and that he knew that.”

Crosse, of Heol Ysgubor, Caerphilly, denies three counts of rape.

The trial before Judge Michael Fitton QC continues.