Johan Stellingwerf denies raping a Maltese woman. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

A woman accused a man she dated of repeatedly raping her, then retracted her allegations but eventually insisted the police should proceed, a court heard yesterday.

Police Inspector Robert Vella informed Magistrate Josette Demicoli that the woman first accused her ex-boyfriend, a Dutchman, of raping her several times over a two-month period. She then withdrew her allegations but, two days later, said action should be taken.

The officer was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Johan Stellingwerf, 33. He is accused of raping the Maltese woman, with whom he had a relationship for four months, and of defrauding her.

Lawyers Malcolm Mifsud and Jason Grima, for the accused, said their client was vehemently contesting the charges, insisting that it was consensual sex between the two, who used to live together and often went abroad.

The officer testified that, on June 2 last year, the woman complained to the police that her former boyfriend, who, she insisted, she only knew by his first name, had raped her in April of the year before. She said she did not have any other details of him because she was not in contact with him.

My client is feeling threatened and subjected to continuous harassment

A few days later, the witness said she informed him she had been in touch with the accused and that he would be arriving in Malta later that day. When the case was referred to the vice squad, the woman said she wanted to withdraw the complaint. Then, two days later, she had a change of heart and told the police she wanted to proceed with the case.

Police Inspector Yvonne Farrugia, prosecuting, said she would not testify in the presence of journalists.

The defence objected, saying there was no court decree on a previous prosecution request for the case to be heard behind closed doors. The case had been ongoing for over a year and the prosecution never complained before.

The inspector said she was “opting” to testify on another day.

Police Sergeant George Dalli, who was present during the interrogation, said under cross-examination he could not remember whether the accused was willing to show investigators SMS messages, love messages, videos, photographs and several erotic e-mails the woman had sent the accused.

Towards the end of the sitting, the defence asked that their client be protected as he was feeling threatened.

Dr Mifsud complained about certain comments appearing on Facebook about his client, saying these were “disgraceful”.

“My client is feeling threatened and subjected to continuous harassment by the family. The police are bound to protect my client. They have a legal obligation to protect someone, especially when there is a comment on Facebook that he should be shot,” he said.

Magistrate Demicoli upheld the request and ordered the woman and her family, specifically her father who was present in court, not to approach the accused. The defence team also filed a copy of a civil case judgment handed down by an Amsterdam court which said that the woman owed him €27,000.

Mr Stellingwerf’s lawyers said he had been convicted of raping two women in the Netherlands, but was appealing that judgment.

The case continues.

Lawyer Pauline Lanzon appeared parte civile for the woman.