Man accused of 'taking advantage' and raping woman in town centre after suspected spiking

11.04.2022 - 21:45 / manchestereveningnews.co.uk

A woman was raped in Stalybridge town centre after a suspected spiking earlier in the night, a jury has been told. Dale Garlick, 29, has admitted to having sex with the woman in the early hours of September 25 2021 but claimed that it was consensual.

Mr Garlick, of Calico Crescent, Stalybridge, is on trial at Minshull Street Crown Court, after pleading not guilty to rape. He has not been charged in relation to the alleged spiking.

Prosecution barrister Robert Smith told a jury that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, headed into the town centre at around 10.30pm in autumn, initially to use free Wi-Fi. She went to Sykes Bar a short time later and had around two pints before making her way to another bar with a small group she had just met.

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Inside the bar, the woman ordered more drinks, took some poppers and a key of cocaine, before eventually buying a blue WKD from the bar. She sat down and was approached by a man, Mr Smith told the jury.

The woman described the man as white and balding. She also told police that he had a Polish ‘twang’.

In her police interview, the woman said that the man offered her his pint and that she took one ‘gulp’ before giving it back. She said that he then tried to push the drink towards her and told her to drink it.

After becoming worried that he was being ‘forceful’, the woman told a bouncer about the man and he was asked to leave. Mr Smith told the jury that the Crown do not submit that Mr Garlick was the man who allegedly spiked her.

Mr Smith read out a statement from Back to the 80s bouncer Wayne Taylor. He confirmed that the woman had raised concerns about a