A former Great Britain rugby league player ‘pinned’ a woman down using his ‘sheer size and force’ and raped her, a court was told today.
Gareth Hock, who made almost 200 appearances for Wigan Warriors, ‘ripped’ the woman’s clothes off and attacked her after he had been drinking, a jury was told.
The ex-forward – who retired from playing in 2019 – allegedly physically assaulted her on several occasions, including one when he is said to have thrown a remote control at her head.
Hock – who earned four caps for Great Britain and five for England – faces ten counts including two of rape and five of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Now aged 40, he denies all the charges, which date back as far as 2009 and relate to a woman who cannot be identified.
Jurors at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester were told that Hock had played rugby league at ‘elite’ level.
Describing the rape charges, Julian Goode, prosecuting, said: ‘There was no consensual activity.
‘He had been drinking and pinned his victim down and forced himself on top of her.
Retired rugby league international Gareth Hock, 40, pictured outside Minshull Street Crown Court, allegedly ‘pinned’ a woman down using his ‘sheer size and force’ and raped her
‘There was no way she could do anything about it because of his sheer size and force.
‘He ripped her clothes off.’
On one occasion jurors were told that Hock punched the woman to the face when she tried to stop him from getting behind the wheel of a car after he had been drinking alcohol.
‘She opened the car door in an attempt to take the car keys,’ Mr Goode said.
‘He punched her to the face causing bruising and redness and he knocked her to the floor.’
Hock then reversed the vehicle with the door still open, it was alleged, shouting ‘You watch now!’ before it ‘knocked her backwards’.
On another occasion, he allegedly picked up a TV remote control and threw it at her face, causing her eyebrow to split open.
Mr Goode said Hock allegedly hit the woman in the face while they were leaving a nightclub.
Gareth Hock (pictured arriving for his trial yesterday) allegedly physically assaulted the woman on several occasions, including one when he is said to have thrown a remote control at her head
Former Great Britain rugby league star Gareth Hock pictured arriving at court in 2023 after he was charged with rape, assault and coercive control
‘She can never forget the look on bouncers’ face when he did that but no-one intervened, partly because of his physical size but also because of who he was,’ he said.
Hock also allegedly turned up drunk while she was staying at a friend’s home and tried to get her into his car.
After she refused, he fell over, jurors were told, due to his ‘high level of intoxication’.
Hock then picked up a stone from the driveway and threw it at the woman, hitting her in the face, Mr Goode said.
On another occasion he is accused of dragging her out of a house by her hair before putting his foot on her throat.
After she reported him to police, Hock allegedly tried to persuade the woman to drop her complaint.
He rang her up, jurors were told, despite being warned he was not allowed to, and asked: ‘What’s wrong?
‘We will sort this ourselves. Just drop the charges.’
As well as the two alleged rapes and five ABH counts Hock also faces one count of assault by beating, one of coercive control and one of perverting the course of justice.
Hock, of Leigh, Greater Manchester, stood in the dock wearing a blue suit as the counts were read out.
He also played for Widnes, Salford, Featherstone, Barrow and Leigh, making a total of 313 career appearances, scoring 81 tries.
In 2022 he set up a new business venture hiring out skips.
The trial continues.
