A football player from Eaglescliffe is standing trial accused of falsely imprisoning a woman in his car and raping her. Harry Butters is accused of sexually assaulting a woman after meeting her on a night out and offering her a lift home.

Butters, who plays for Darlington FC under 23s, is currently standing trial at Teesside Crown Court charged with rape, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without consent, assault by penetration, sexual assault, and false imprisonment. The 24-year-old denies the charges.

On Monday morning, a jury was sworn in at the court, with the prosecuting barrister outlining the Crown's case. The trial is expected to last around four days.

The jury heard that Butters was on a night out in Darlington when he offered a woman a lift home, Chronicle Live re

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