SPFL star ‘carried out sex attack on sleeping woman’ then went to training, court hears.
A SCOTS footballer went to training after an alleged sex attack on a sleeping woman. Salim Kouider-Aïssa, 27, is claimed to have inappropriately touched the 23-year-old at a flat in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, on October 31 2021.
Salim Kouider-Aissa in action for Airdrie. The star in action for Partick Thistle. The woman said she went to a spare bedroom alone and was "shocked" to wake up to the Airdrie forward with hands on her. Kouider-Aïssa told a jury that he initially went in the same bed to have a "good sleep." He added that he believed the woman was awake and consenting before carrying out a sex act on her. Kouider-Aïssa, also of Kirkintilloch, denies the single charge of sexual assault at Glasgow Sheriff Court.
The court heard Kouider-Aïssa played for Airdrie at Alloa that day - picking up an injury. He initially went home to Kirkintilloch before picking up friends in Glasgow's west end. The footballer drove the men to a friend's flat where they drank and listened to music. The alleged victim and another woman later joined the men at the flat.
Jurors were told that the woman went to the flat owner's spare bed. The court heard Kouider-Aïssa was told by his pal to stay in the living room. The woman said: "I woke up and I could feel someone behind me, that's when I realised what he was doing." She described that Kouider-Aïssa intimately touched her. She added: "I woke up really shocked, I went into bed myself and was shocked to have someone behind me. "I was shouting 'what are you doing' and he said 'I thought you were awake, what have I done'.
"I didn't really know what to do, he went to get my friends for me. "They came rushing in...he told them that he thought I was awake. "It wouldn't matter if I was as there was no consent." Kouider-Aïssa stated in his evidence that he had difficulty sleeping on the couch. He said his reason for entering the bed beside the woman was to "get a good sleep." Kouider-Aïssa claimed that the woman brushed his legs and put her leg over his, before he stroked her leg. He said: "I was questioning myself if she was awake." Kouider-Aïssa stated the woman turned his back to him before spooning her then kissed her on the neck.
He added that he went on to carry out a sex act on her stating: "I had belief she was consenting by the way she was moving about the bed, moving her body to me." Kouider-Aïssa stated after the woman woke up and confronted him, he told his friend: "I've f***ed it, I thought she was awake." Kouider-Aïssa claimed he waited in his car before contacting teammate Max Currie. He said: "It was about 8am and Max came and picked me up and we went to get changed (at his flat) for physio.
"I went to training, it was a Sunday, the football was on so I went to my uncle's house to watch football." Kouider-Aïssa handed himself into the police that night. Mr Allan said "You entered the bedroom of a stranger while she was sleeping?" He replied: "Yes." Mr Allan asked what steps Kouider-Aïssa took to check that getting into bed was okay with the woman. He replied: "None." Mr Allan said: "There is one easy way to make sure she was awake isn't there?"
Kouider-Aïssa: "I suppose so." Mr Allan: "You didn't ask her if she was awake during any of this?" Kouider-Aïssa: "No." Kouider-Aïssa stated that he believes the woman was asleep after hearing the woman's position at court. He later said: "There obviously has to be doubts, to this day, it's been a while since... I still have a reasonable belief that she was awake for the last part and giving consent as well as that's obviously why we are here.
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