A FRIGHTENED prostitute promised a knifeman she would perform a sex act for free if he did not hurt her, a court was told yesterday.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the 42-year-old woman went with Abdel Khalil to his Middlesbrough home.

She later told police that he raped her twice, forced her to perform a sex act and then stole £75.

She went to Mr Khalil's home in Ayresome Street, Middlesbrough, where he claimed that he paid her £10 for the sex act, but he denied any other sexual encounter.

Officers found a discarded condom in his bedroom which had DNA links to both of them, the court was told.

The woman said that Mr Khalil, 35, approached her as she walked in central Middlesbrough and he offered her £25.

Christine Egerton, prosecuting, said: "She was happy to oblige and she accompanied him to his house.

"They went upstairs and she undressed. Very quickly he produced a knife and he held it against her.

"She was frightened and she told him 'If you want a freebie you can have a freebie as long as you don't hurt me'."

The woman alleged that Mr Khalil wore a condom when he raped her, but removed it before forcing her to perform a sex act.

Mr Khalil denied that he used a condom, or that any form of sexual intercourse took place, or that he had stolen any money from her. He said that as she was leaving, a mobile phone rang and he realised that she had stolen his phone.

He said that she was injured as they struggled when he accused her of theft.

Mr Khalil, now of Waterloo Road, Middlesbrough, denies two charges of rape, indecent assault and theft on February 24 last year.

The case continues