AN ice cream man raped a young woman in the back of his van, a court heard.

But Javed Iqbal was only caught three years later after police stopped him for a minor motoring offence, Bolton Crown Court was told.

Iqbal, aged 42, of Bury New Road, Bolton, is accused of attacking the woman in May 2006 after he drove her to a quiet road in Tonge Moor.

He denies rape. The court was also told that another Asian man allegedly ap-proached the woman a year later and paid her £100 to tell police she was withdrawing her complaint.

The jury heard the woman was a sex worker and a drug addict.

Susan Klonin, prosecuting, told the court that the woman offered to perform a sex act on Iqbal for £10 — but she did not agree to have sex with him.

The court heard that Iqbal forced himself on top of her and raped her in the “confined, trapped, space” of his ice cream van.

Miss Klonin said: “She cried out ‘no’ and tried to fight him off. But you will see her — she is a tiny girl. She was powerless to stop him and he was not for stopping.

“The offence may be three-and-a-half years old but you will hear her distress as if it were yesterday.”

Miss Klonin said the court would hear the woman’s distressed 999 call which she made straight after the alleged attack.

Officers spoke to the woman at a friend’s house the same night — but the court was told she did not want to go to hospital or to be examined by doctors.

But she did give the police her underwear and the court was told this had Iqbal’s DNA on it.

The court heard the woman knew the defendant and had done business with him before — but she did not know his name. Police tried to trace her attacker but could not find him.

A year later, however, the alleged victim was with the same friend when they saw Iqbal drive past in his van.

The friend memorised the number plate and the pair called police, who traced the van but could not find Iqbal.

But it is alleged that an associate of the defendant then paid the woman to keep quiet.

Miss Klonin said: “In 2007, the Crown says this girl was bought off on Mr Iqbal’s behalf. She was offered money if she dropped the complaint. She was taken by an Asian man to a police station to drop the complaint. She was given £100.”

In June this year, Iqbal was stopped by police as part of routine traffic operation.

But officers discovered Iqbal was wanted for rape. The woman picked him out of a video identity parade and his DNA was matched to the sample police already had from the time of the alleged attack, the court was told.

The case continues.