Romanian national charged with raping woman while carrying out food deliveries
A food delivery driver is to stand trial accused of raping a woman at her home near Belfast, a judge ordered today.
Silviu Iakob, 28, allegedly carried out the attack after returning to the property to collect a surplus order.
The defendant, a Romanian national with an address at Ava Avenue in the city, claims any sexual encounter was consensual.
Iakob appeared at Belfast Magistrates’ Court charged with one count of raping the woman on October 16 last year.
It was previously disclosed that he was working for an online food delivery service at the time of the incident.
According to the prosecution he initially brought an order of supermarket groceries to the alleged victim’s home in the Newtownabbey area.
The woman claimed the delivery driver returned later that evening after she contacted the company about receiving extra items and forced her into a bedroom.
He pushed her onto the bed and carried out the rape despite repeated requests for him to stop, it was alleged.
Based on a description of the delivery car, Iakob was identified as the suspect.
The defendant subsequently attended a police station in Belfast for voluntary questioning and provided intimate samples for the investigation, a bail hearing was told.
Iakob, who has lived in Northern Ireland for nearly eight years, also provided an account that any sexual intercourse with the complainant was fully consensual.
During today’s preliminary enquiry proceedings he confirmed that he understood the charge against him.
Speaking through a Romanian interpreter, he declined to give evidence or call witnesses on his behalf at this stage.
Defence solicitor Niall O’Neill did not contest prosecution submissions that his client has a prima facie case to answer.
Granting the Crown’s application, District Judge Steven Keown returned Iakob for trial at the Crown Court on a date to be fixed.
The defendant remains on bail and will next appear for his future arraignment hearing