Woman accusing Big Brother star of assault 'thought he was gay'
Former Big Brother runner-up Jason Cowan allegedly sexually assaulted a woman who had earlier thought he was homosexual, a court has been told.
A jury heard claims that Cowan, of Saltmarket, Glasgow, assaulted the 36-year-old at a holiday estate in Lochgoilhead, Argyll, in December 2011.
The woman recalled shouting, swearing and kicking at Cowan as the 39-year-old was on top of her.
Cowan denies the sex attack and has lodged a special defence of consent.
It is alleged that the contestant in the 2004 series of the reality show assaulted the woman while she was "asleep and incapable of giving or witholding consent".
At the High Court in Glasgow, the woman told how she had been at the Drimsynie Estate during a Christmas away-day from her work.
Spending the night
She and her colleagues had some drinks then a meal before attending a party at a lodge where her firm's managing director was staying overnight.
The woman, who admitted to being drunk, briefly returned to the lodge and the only person there was Cowan, who was also spending the night at a chalet along with another boss at the company.
"I poured a gin and tonic," she said. "The next thing I remember is that I was at the door and I remember asking him was he gay because he was so polished.
"I don't think he took too kindly to that, so I put my drink down and left."
The woman said she knocked on the door of the chalet next door, which she mistakenly thought was her own.
When she could not get in, she returned to Cowan's lodge and he agreed she could stay there.
The woman told the jury: "He was lovely and he said: 'No problem, fine'."
She claimed that Cowan was naked on her return from a trip to the bathroom.
"He got back into bed, pulled the right side of the duvet back and asked did I want to go in there," she told the court.
She initially agreed to join him but then changed her mind and said she would go to another bedroom, where she fell asleep.
The woman claimed that the next thing she remembered was that Cowan, still unclothed, was on top and sexually assaulting her.
"He was leaning over me," she said, stressing that she herself was still fully clothed. "I was screaming at him to get off. I just know that I was trying to get up but could not.
"I was just screaming and he had a really nasty face."
The woman said she did not know how long he was on top of her but that she kicked out at Cowan.
The witness said she had a "flashback" that the incident ended after Cowan pulled her from the bed and threw her outside the chalet.
"I was terrified," she claimed. "I went back to the wrong lodge again and I was cowering outside crying."
The court heard that one of her bosses found her and he escorted her back to the correct chalet.
She told her workmates what happened before police were contacted.
The jury was told the alleged victim suffered bruising, which she claimed was not there prior to that night.
She later told the court that, on the bus to Drimsynie, she heard that "the guy from Big Brother is going" but said that she did not watch the television programme.
Cowan's counsel, Emma Toner, asked: "He looked attractive. Is that fair?"
However, the witness said: "I honestly didn't find him attractive at all."
The woman also denied asking him about his muscles.
The trial, before judge Lord Bracadale, continues.