Man denies raping sex worker at city hotel

A MAN accused of raping and robbing a sex worker in a Plymouth city centre hotel has taken to the witness box to give evidence in his defence

- CARL EVE

Piotr Wojnarowski, of Trispen St Erme, near Truro, Cornwall, is standing trial at Plymouth Crown Court on the charge of two counts of rape anal and vaginal - and one count of robbery, all on Thursday October 27, 2022 at Jury's Inn hotel, now called the Leonardo Hotel - in Exeter Street.

He is also accused of taking £500 from her, which she told the jury were her earnings from other clients, and then taping her with gaffer tape to secure her to the hotel bathroom door. The jury have been told that Wojnarowski has pleaded guilty to the count of false imprisonment.

In answer to a series of questions from his barrister Michael Green, Wojnarowski, aged 39, explained that he was Polish and had come to the UK in October 2008, initially carrying out seasonal work picking cauliflowers and cabbages. He had been a permanent resident for eight years and now lived in a caravan near Truro.

He had been married but was now separated from his wife for the last four years, resulting in him moving into the rented caravan. He now worked for a firm in Cornwall producing concrete, earning between £500 and £750 a week.

Wojnarowski said he used escorts for the past two years primarily via the one website where he had spotted the advert of the woman he is accused of raping. He said he used such escorts "about twice a month" in places like "Truro, Redruth, Newquay, Plymouth". He told the jury that while the adverts had ticks next to what the escorts would or would not offer, you could negotiate with them and pay for "extras".

He admitted he paid the woman £80 for sex when he went to the Jury's Inn hotel on Sunday October 23. He also confirmed to his barrister that the man who was seen entering and leaving the hotel on Thursday October 27 the day of the alleged rape - was in fact him.