A MAN accused of keeping a prostitute prisoner in his Atherton flat and raping her twice at knifepoint has been cleared of one of the rape charges.

Geoffrey Jones was found not guilty on Tuesday at Liverpool Crown Court. The jury was today continuing its deliberations on a second rape charge and a charge of false imprisonment.

Jones, aged 43, of Milton Close, Atherton, who had pleaded not guilty to all three charges, claims the woman consented to sex and denies threatening her at knifepoint.

The prosecution allege that Jones picked up the 30-year-old woman in Shiffnall Street, Bolton, on February 16, and she agreed to go back to his home for a couple of hours for £40.

He drove her to his home and, once there, asked her if she wanted the money first.

Vanessa Thomson, prosecuting, told the jury: "Jones then grabbed hold of her by the hair and held a kitchen knife to her throat.

"He told her not to scream or he would cut her, and said he was in charge. She was very frightened. She tried to grapple with the knife and cut her hand."

Miss Thomson claimed the man took her to his bedroom, threatened her with the knife and told her to strip. She left her boots on as she had money in them. He raped her twice despite her protests.

She then asked to go the bathroom and managed to unlock the front door and run out of the flat, wearing nothing but her boots.

Jones was arrested and his alleged victim was taken to hospital where it was found she had bruising to her thigh, above her eye and on her back.

Jones says the woman agreed to have sex with him in return for a lift in his car.

The woman told him she wanted to leave, but he said she was going nowhere.

Jones told the jury they had consensual sex and he denied that he had threatened her at knifepoint.

Proceeding