1:20pm Tuesday 9th February 2010
By Alison Cridland
A man tried to rape a woman he was at school with then fled to France after police quizzed him, a jury was told.
Robert Jones is accused of threatening to throttle the woman if she did not do as he asked.
The 27-year-old formerly from Hailsham and now of no fixed address, denies attempted rape and two offences of indecent assault at a trial at Lewes Crown Court.
The jury was told that after the attack on March 18 2004 Jones was questioned by police and released on bail after claiming the woman had willingly had sexual activity with him.
Jones then left for France where he was arrested last year and bought back to the UK.
The alleged victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, broke down weeping as she gave evidence behind a screen.
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