Bryan Sheridan, 34, is accused of attacking the woman while she was asleep following a party – jurors heard she was woken by him having sex with her without her consent.

A man who denies raping a woman while she was asleep admitted the attack in a message to her on WhatsApp, a court heard.

Bryan Sheridan, 34, is accused of attacking the woman while she was asleep following a party.

Sheridan had earlier talked to the victim about having a threesome with a friend before they went home together, Worcester Crown Court heard.

Jurors heard she passed out after the party on Boxing Day 2018 but was woken by Sheridan having sex with her without her consent.

The court heard the woman later sent Sheridan a WhatsApp message which said: “Would you admit it is rape to me? I can’t feel anything, I just feel numb.”

Sheridan replied: “Ok, I raped you.”

He later claimed he sent the message because “this was what she wanted to hear.”

Giving evidence, Sheridan claimed the woman was drunk but was “able to walk and communicate” when they discussed having a threesome.

Michael Anning, defending, asked him: “How did she seem?”

Sheridan replied: “Perfectly happy.” Mr Anning then asked: “What was the sex?”, to which Sheridan replied: “Normal sex.”

Mr Anning continued: “How did you know she was consenting?”

Sheridan said: “She pulled me on top of her.”

He said later in conversations – on the phone, and in messages – the woman thought he had “done something to her” and raped her while she was asleep.

Mr Anning asked: “Who initiated (the sex)?”, to which Sheridan responded: “She did.”

He was then asked: “Was she awake?” and replied: “Yes.”

Mr Anning asked Sheridan why he sent the WhatsApp message admitting the rape.

He replied: “She basically said if I didn’t say it she was going to ring the police and I’d be arrested.”

Mr Anning asked: “Why did you send her that message?”

Sheridan replied: “This was what she wanted to hear.”

Under cross-examination, prosecutor Caroline Goodwin QC asked him: “Why did you need to admit something you hadn’t done?”

Sheridan replied: “She said she wanted me to say it so she could move on.”

Ms Goodwin asked: “Did she actually finally push you to the point where you were admitting what you had done?”

After taking a pause to drink, and asking for the question to be repeated, Sheridan, answered “No”.

Sheridan, of Evesham, Worcs., denies two counts of rape, assault by penetration and attempting to assault by penetration.

The trial continues.