A PREGNANT woman, sleeping beside her six year-old daughter, woke up to find a man trying to rape her, a court was told.

Terrified her daughter would wake up, the woman, who was 18 weeks' pregnant, tried to persuade the man to stop, but he continued to try and force her to have sex, Bolton Crown Court heard.

When the child woke up and asked what was happening the woman began to struggle fiercely and managed to force him from the room. The alleged incident happened after the 28-year-old woman and her six year-old daughter had taken refuge in Munib Sarcevic's home following a row between the woman and her partner.

Sarcevic, aged 44, of Shepherds Cross Street, Bolton, denies attempted rape.

Prosecutor Eric Lamb said that on July 27 last year the woman and her partner had been out drinking.

She and her partner had met Sarcevic and his wife. During the evening, the woman said she had told Sarcevic she was pregnant.

When they returned home the woman and her partner had a row and she left taking her six year-old daughter with her intending to go to her sister's house.

She ended up at Sarcevic's house where she was offered food and a drink. She accepted an offer to stay the night.

(Proceeding)