A woman alleged she was raped by her former boyfriend, then withdrew her criminal complaint only to have a change of heart two days later, telling the police to proceed with the case, a police inspector said in court this morning.

Inspector Robert Vella said that on June 2 last year the alleged victim went to police to complain that her former boyfriend, who she only knew by his first name, had raped her in April 2012.

She told the police she did not know his surname as she was not in contact with him. But a few days later, she went back to tell the inspector that she was in contact with him and that he was arriving that day.

The inspector said the woman alleged that he had raped her several times over a period of two months.

When the case was then referred to the Vice Squad, the alleged victim told the police she wanted to withdraw the complaint she had filed. However, two days later, she had a change of heart and told the police she wanted to proceed with the case.

The inspector was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Johan Stellingwerf, a 33-year-old Dutch man who is accused of raping the Maltese woman, with whom he had a relationship for four months, and of defrauding her of some €25,000.

The man had been convicted of raping two women in the Netherlands. He is appealing these judgments, even before the European Court of Human Rights.

The defence, led by lawyers Malcolm Mifsud and Jason Grima, said they are hotly contesting the charges, insisting that the sex between the two was consensual. They dated for four months, used to live together and often went abroad together, including to Spain and Poland.

Inspector Yvonne Farrugia, who is prosecuting, refused to testify if the media was present in the courtroom. The defence objected, saying there was no court decree on a previous prosecution request for the case to be heard behind closed doors. The inspector then said she was "opting" to testify on another day.

The defence also requested that their client be protected as he was feeling threatened. Dr Mifsud also complained about certain comments on his client on Facebook, saying these were "disgraceful".

Magistrate Josette Demicoli upheld this request and ordered the alleged victim and her family, specifically her father who was present in court, not to approach the accused.

The case continues.