A man accused of rape has given “two totally different accounts” to his solicitors, it has been claimed.

Ross Grant, from Trowbridge who is currently standing trial accused of rape, told his previous solicitors that he asked a question that caused the complainant to become annoyed and tell him to get out, prosecutor Charles Gabb said, but he had told the court that she had seen a message on her phone.

In both cases, he said sex was consensual.

“I mentioned the mobile phone right at the beginning,” he said under cross-examination.

“No you didn’t. You said not a word about a mobile phone to your original solicitors. That is totally different to what you now said take place,” Mr Gabb retorted.

He also told his first solicitor that the rape allegation “suddenly appeared”, and that people were threatening him in the street, which is why he went on the run.

But giving evidence from the witness box, he said that nobody said anything about this allegation to him.

He was accused of “trying to fit his story around the evidence”.

Grant told the court he was “confused” by the prosecutor’s questioning, before saying: “I’m not the cleverest person in the world as you know, maybe I said this or that, if that’s what they say you’re fine. You’ve made your point so I’ll agree to it.”

Mr Gabb replied: “You don’t need to be clever to tell the truth. The truth is the truth.”

“Things have changed, I told one solicitor and I sacked them, I spoke to my other solicitors and most probably told them something different,” the defendant said. “After several months I’m going to say something different.”

“If you’re telling the truth, you’re not,” Mr Gabb said. “The truth is the truth.”

Grant, 48, was asked why he told two different stories. “I can’t answer your question,” he replied.

As previously reported, the defendant, of no fixed abode, stands charged with one count of rape.

It is alleged by prosecutors that the complainant went to sleep thinking she was alone when she was awoken to find the naked man on her bed.

He proceeded to rape her and said “I’m going to have to take what I want”, the court was previously told.

But giving evidence in his defence at Swindon Crown Court, Grant told his barrister Ellen McAnaw that they went to bed together and had consensual sex, before he was told to “get out” by the complainant.

Asked whether he had any idea that the complainant did not want to have sex, he said: “No I didn’t.”

“Did you rape [the alleged victim]?” Ms McAnaw asked.

“No I did not,” he replied.

He went on to say that he “wasn’t very happy” with his first solicitor as he wanted to make a statement to the police but they advised against it, and advised him to answer all questions with no comment.

Under cross-examination, Grant was also accused of “trying to pull the emotional heartstrings” in messages sent to her before the incident.

Prosecutors had previously said the two had been talking a week before the incident last autumn, but Grant was kicked out after “alarm bells started to ring”.

He then proceeded to message her throughout the week.

Mr Gabb said he “thought this woman would be a soft touch, and you were going to be able to get in there as free accommodation”.

The trial continues. Grant denies one count of rape.

The jury is expected to retire on Tuesday to consider its verdicts.