A CITY man allegedly raped an  elderly woman and then told  police that she had imagined it,  Exeter Crown Court has heard.

George Northam, 29, of New  Bridge Street, in the city centre,  pleaded not guilty to rape when  his trial began yesterday.

 The prosecution claim the sex  attack happened in South Devon  last year, leaving the woman  “horrified and stunned”.

Northam told police that the  woman must have imagined the  crime and become confused. He  told officers: “This is a job for a  psychiatrist.”

Prosecutor Paul Grumbar,  opening his case, told the jury  that Northam was polite and  friendly to the woman but then  committed the offence without  any warning.

“Suddenly he burst in,” said  the prosecutor. “She couldn’t  believe it.”

He added: “She said his brain  and his eyes were all funny. He  wasn’t focusing on her.

“She was naturally horrified  and stunned by what  happened.”

Mr Grumbar said Northam  then walked away and later  spoke to the woman when he  saw her again, as if nothing had  happened.

 The prosecutor said that the  woman was reluctant to get police involved and mentioned it  to someone else during conversation nearly a fortnight later.

In the meantime, the delay  meant she had washed clothing  and items from the alleged incident.

“There is no DNA,” said Mr  Grumbar. “This case revolves  entirely around her account of  what happened, an account she  has repeated on a number of  occasions.”

Police were then alerted and  the woman reported her allegations to officers and was video  interviewed.

The defendant was arrested  and denied the offence.

Mr Grumbar said the jury  must be sure that Northam was  guilty, if they convicted him.

He added: “The prosecution  bring the case and they have to  prove it.”

The trial continues before Recorder Sarah Munro QC.