A Lithuanian national has been remanded in custody for allegedly raping a woman and physically assaulting her friend in Newry last month.
Dainius Antanavicius, 26, of Windsor Manor in the city, appeared in Newry Magistrates' Court on Friday.
He faced further charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the rape victim and her friend and unlawfully imprisoning the two women against their will.
A Detective Constable told the Newry court he could connect the accused to the charges.
A defence solicitor for the defendant asked the detective constable if he could confirm that the defendant "strenuously denied the offences" and had provided "relevant and independently verifiable information" which pointed to his innocence.
The Detective Constable said the defendant was denying the offences and had provided this information.
The defence solicitor did not make an application for bail and Antanavicius was remanded in custody to appear by way of video link next month.
© UTV News