Man accused of raping 14-year-old said he 'made a move' while they watched Titanic

A man accused of raping a 14-year-old girl when he was 15 said he made a move on her while they were watching Titanic.

Marcus Tipping, 21, said he and the girl, who can't be named for legal reasons, became intimate with each other while watching the hit 1997 film.

The following day, he sent messages to his alleged victim on Snapchat where he apologised and said he had "sexually harassed" her.

But he denies forcing himself on her and said all sexual contact between them on the day in question was consensual.

And he told his trial at the High Court in Paisley today, Wednesday, March 25, 2026, that he had sent messages apologising as he was "trying to pacify" her.

Tipping, of Port Glasgow, denies raping the girl at his home in the town's Arran Avenue in December 2019.

He said he had met her off a bus and headed to his home, where they planned to watch 12 Years a Slave.

But he said the movie had been removed from Netflix at the time so he chose Titanic instead.

He said: "She led off with calling me 'hot'. I called her 'pretty'. She seemed quite flattered, from my perspective.

"I did the cliched, cinema, 'arm over the shoulder'. One of the romantic scenes came on in Titanic and I thought I'd make a move."

He said he asked her about more sexual activity and that she was "baffled by the question" but that she agreed and they continued.

But he denied that anything untoward had happened between them and said she left and messaged him the following day on Snapchat.

The girl wrote: "Are you aware you forced me when I said no?"

He replied: "Yeh and I regret it." She replied: "Do you know that that's sexual harassment?"

He said: "Yes and I'm sorry and I will never do it again. I'm not gonna do that anymore. Cause I felt really bad after doing it.

"WHat was I thinking? Yes I was aware and I know I forced you. I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart. I'm sorry.

"I feel like a bad person for forcing you. I forced you into sexual stuff and I realise that that's sexual harassment."

When asked about the messages today he said: "I don't really like conflict. I was trying to pacify her.

"I still saw a future with this woman. I was getting suspicious that she was twisting a story.

"I always try to avoid conflict. Due to my ADHD I struggle to fit in with anyone or anywhere."

And when asked why he had used the phrase sexual harassment if it was consensual, he replied: "I was paraphrasing the stuff she had said before."

Tipping said he had lied in his police interview, after telling officers that he had been playing computer games on the day in question and that nobody had come to his house.

He said today: "I was told to lie to protect myself. I was 15 at the time so I was completely terrified with what was going on.

"I was 15 years old and I was panicking. I was panicking because I didn't know what was going on.

"I'm not afraid to admit I lied when I was younger to protect myself. She was wrong and I was only trying to pacify her. I was a terrified 15-year-old."

Advocate Depute David McDonald, prosecuting, asked Tipping why he said he lied before but was now telling the truth.

Tipping replied: "Because I'm no longer afraid of the truth."

The trial, before Temporary Judge Sheena Fraser, continues.