Two men accused of rape 'shared photos of victim on WhatsApp'

Two men were filmed raping an unconscious woman and went on to share photographs of the victim on WhatsApp, a court has heard.

Jesse Burgoine, 28, and Artjom Nepryahin, 26, are accused of "targeting" the then 23-year-old victim after meeting her in a club in Nottingham city centre in December 2014.

Nottingham Crown Court heard two video clips of sexual activity with the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were taken as she lay asleep on a sofa.

Burgoine, of Wrestlingworth, Bedfordshire, and Nepryahin, of Prestwood Road, Liverpool, both deny two counts of rape.

Opening the case, prosecutor Simon Ash said the pair saw the victim as an "object to be used for their sexual gratification".

He told the jury of six men and six women the victim "felt very drunk" as she went to the Coco Tang club in Bridlesmith Gate with two friends on the evening of December 20.

Later in the evening, Burgoine and Nepryahin left with the victim after she became separated from her friends, and the trio took a taxi to Nepryahin's flat where the alleged attack took place.

A 24-second video played to the jury appeared to show Burgoine having sex with the victim, with Mr Ash saying: "You can see she was unconscious. Arms hanging limply, hair hangs to one side, eyes closed, she doesn't move at any stage during the video."

He added: "She was not fully conscious, and she felt scared. She did not have the strength or control... to stop what was happening."

She later grabbed her clothing and left the flat near Nottingham's train station, the court heard.

Following the sexual activity, Mr Ash said a photo of the "two of them smiling at the camera with the victim unconscious between them and behind them" was sent to a WhatsApp group including seven or more other men.

The court also heard Nepryahin sent a message to a friend in the morning following the alleged attack, saying: "It was pretty fun mate - it could not have been easier to take her home."

The alleged victim left the flat without her pants and a photo of the underwear was sent to the WhatsApp group captioned "She forgot her pants", with the prosecution saying the defendants regarded this as being funny.

The incident was reported to police and door-to-door inquiries led to the arrest of Nepryahin, and Burgoine was also detained later.

Mr Ash said in interview, both men claimed the sexual encounter was consensual and denied the woman had passed out.

The trial, which is expected to last two weeks, continues.