A MAN accused of repeatedly raping and abusing a woman in a series of alleged sex attacks has gone on trial.

Describing one of the claimed incidents to police the woman said she was forced to have sex with her abuser days after a hospital operation and the attack left 'blood everywhere.'

She went on to claim that the alleged abuse - which included episodes of violence - became 'routine.'

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Thomas Cowley denies a string of offences, all alleged to have involved one woman victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

The 21-year-old of Dalton Barracks, near Abingdon, denies three counts of rape, one of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, three of assault by beating and one of perjury.

His trial at Oxford Crown Court got under way today.

Outlining the case to the jury prosecutor Christopher Kerr said that Cowley was 'physically violent towards [the victim] and sexually violent.'

He added: "He forced her on a number of occasions to have sexual intercourse with him."

Mr Kerr told jurors that the abuse began while Cowley was training for the Armed Forces during the 2010s.

He detailed a number of incidents of alleged violence including a time where it was claimed he pushed the woman down the stairs.

It was also said that he struck her on multiple occasions.

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The jury went on to hear that following the alleged abuse he is claimed to have 'followed [the victim] and sent her Snapchat messages telling her to withdraw her complaint with the police."

The alleged victim was also interviewed by police about what she had claimed happened to her.

A recording of that police interview was played to the jury.

In that video the woman recalled a number of incidents where she says she was raped.

Speaking of one incident she said she had returned from hospital after having an operation days previously when he had sex with her.

Recalling that incident she said she was in pain and described it as 'horrible' saying there was 'blood everywhere.'

The woman recalled another incident where she said she 'stabbed' Cowley with a pair of scissors after refusing sex with him.

She described the alleged abuse as 'routine.'

The jury also heard that when Cowley was interviewed about the allegations he denied rape and denied forcing the woman.

It was said that he claimed: "If she didn't want to have sex it would not happen."

Cowley denies the charges and the trial continues.