A WOMAN who told jurors she was raped in an Oxford University College has taken to the stand to refute claims she is lying.

The alleged victim, who was studying at Somerville College at the time, told police she was attacked by Rory Smith when he was staying in Christ Church.

His defence barrister David Hislop QC yesterday quizzed the woman at Oxford Crown Court about why she was struggling to remember details of events before the alleged attack.

He said: "Do you have memory difficulties?"

The woman replied: "No, it's just been more than two years since this and I have spent the last two years trying to forget."

During the trial, prosecutor David Povall told jurors the woman met with Smith and a group of friends near Brasenose College in the early hours of October 7, 2014.

He said she walked with Smith, 21, and another student to Christ Church before going back to Smith's room, later asking him to let her out of the building with his key fob.

Mr Povall said the woman agreed to stay in his room when Smith refused to let her go but he began "overpowering" her and "making advances".

A jury of six men and six women heard the woman told officers Smith then raped her, ignoring her pleas to stop and leaving her with bruises on her hips.

During cross-examination yesterday, Mr Hislop said to the woman: "You knew that he would have to let you out of the college with his fob?"

She replied: "I had not thought that far ahead."

Smith, of King Street, Honiton, Devon, denies raping the woman in October, and sexually assaulting her between June 1 and June 30, 2014.

The trial continues.