A Gambian immigrant has been accused of raping seven women in Britain

Sentinel reporter:

An Asylum seeker accused of raping seven women in Stoke-on-Trent has said he was framed by a former neighbour. Gambian immigrant Abdoulie Njie told a trial at the city's crown court that he had frequently used prostitutes, but never raped any of them and always paid for sex.

Njie, aged 33, of no fixed address, denies eight charges of rape, one of attempted rape and one of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to commit rape between January 11, 2003 and August 23, 2005.

Testifying yesterday, Njie said he had been set up by a former neighbour named Christopher Whittaker.

He claimed Mr Whittaker had targeted his family with racist abuse when he was living at an address in Scott Road, Chell Heath, last year, and had even tried to run him over with a car.

Njie claimed Mr Whittaker was a drug dealer who had bribed prostitutes to make up the rape allegations to get him into trouble.

"He made it clear to me and my wife that he was going to make my life a living hell, and now my life is a living hell," said Njie.

"I know he is behind all this. I don't do rape. I've been using prostitutes since I was 10 years old. How can I be guilty of rape if I paid them for sex?"

When asked by his defence counsel, Andrew Robertson QC, about one alleged attack on a young woman walking home at night near Cobridge Park on June 26, 2004, Njie said: "If she wasn't a prostitute, then what was she doing in that area?" Njie also said he was at home with his family on December 31, 2004, when another alleged rape took place.

And he said of the last alleged victim on August 23 last year: "How could I forget her? She was really enjoying it."

William Davis QC, prosecuting, said it was clear there had been "a lot of trouble" between Njie and Mr Whittaker while he was living in Scott Road.

But he said the feud had begun and ended in 2005, and did not explain why two women made rape allegations in 2003 and another came forward in 2004.

"After these few short months you moved away and you never saw him again," said Mr Davis.

"None of these incidents happened when you say that Mr Whittaker was living anywhere near you.

"You are just making it up to try and avoid being convicted for seven rapes."

ASYLUM SEEKER, 33, DENIES RAPES