A man accused of raping a teenager in her home took the witness stand yesterday to describe the alleged attack as "fabricated".

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies raping the girl last year when he stayed at the family home in Pembroke. The teenager, who was 15 at the time, last week told Magistrates' Court she had known the 38-year-old a family friend all her life.

At the time of the complaint, the defendant was staying at the house as he was having problems with his girlfriend.

The girl said she was brushing her teeth one afternoon when he came into her bathroom and raped her. She said he then threatened to kill her if ever she told the Police about the attack.

The man, a construction worker, denies sexually assaulting the girl, sexually touching her while in a position of trust, attempting to obstruct justice through intimidation, and using threatening words. He told Magistrates' Court: "It's fabricated because I wasn't there."

Asked by defence lawyer Craig Attridge whether he had ever had a sexual relationship with the girl, he replied: "None at all."

Mr. Attridge then asked the man to describe his penis, arguing there were discrepancies in the girl's description of its size, shape and colour.

He said the girl had described it as being of his skin tone, but the defendant told the court: "It is not because it's the darkest part of my body."

Mr. Attridge said: "This is another inaccuracy in respect of a whole series of inaccuracies on behalf of the complainant."

However, in cross-examination Crown counsel Rob Welling claimed the defendant had taken advantage of the teenager.

"After all those weeks of living under the same roof you eventually cracked didn't you? And you just took what you wanted."

The defendant replied: "I have a girlfriend, I have no means to take anything from anybody. If I want sex I can go to my girlfriend's at any time."

Mr. Welling continued: "You did what you wanted to because you felt she wouldn't go through with it, didn't you?"

But he replied: "I didn't do what she said I did. "She made these allegations against me and they're unfounded, they're just lies."

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner adjourned the case until February 15, remanding the defendant in custody.