A homeless man raped a teenager who offered him shelter after a night of drinking, a court has heard.

Karim Tshibangu, 28, of no fixed address, allegedly forced himself on the 17-year-old in May after she arranged for him to sleep at a friend’s home.

Kingston Crown Court heard today that the teenager was told Mr Tshibangu, a friend of a friend, was sleeping rough.

The woman, now 18, told police that after arranging for him to stay at a home in Tolworth, she spent the evening of May 2 with Mr Tshibangu, another friend, and that friend’s boyfriend at the home, eating pizza and drinking.

In a videotaped interview played to jurors, she added: “I was drinking slowly because I didn’t want to get drunk as much.”

At about 3am the four went to bed. The alleged victim agreed to sleep in the living room with Mr Tshibangu, he on the sofa and she on a separate mattress.

She told police: “I thought I could trust him.”

But as she was “half asleep” Mr Tshibangu forced himself on her, despite her protestations, she told police.

After some time she was able to escape to the next room.

Prosecutor Sophie Shotton said Mr Tshibangu told the woman “to keep this between the two of us”.

The jury heard how the alleged victim claimed she got away from Mr Tshibangu and went to raise the alarm with the other two, only for her friend’s boyfriend to persuade them to go back to bed.

Miss Shotton said that in the morning “the defendant seemed to be both admitting and denying that he had raped” the woman.

Mr Tshibangu allegedly told her: “I don’t know what I did because I was drunk but I’m sorry to hurt you.”

A complaint was filed with police. Mr Tshibangu was arrested on May 5 and taken to Sutton police station.

The trial continues.