A SALSA dance teacher violently raped one of his pupils after she refused to have sex with him, a court heard.

Joseph Lantelli, 42, allegedly 'abused his position of trust' by preying on the vulnerable woman and striking up a sexual relationship with her.

But when she told married Lantelli that she did not want to sleep with him any more, he grabbed her during a private lesson and raped her, a jury was told.

The woman fought back tears as she claimed one sex attack happened while they practised dance steps at Capone's nightclub in Dursley.

Jurors were told Italian-born Lantelli raped the woman a second time months later when she visited him at his home.

He claims they never had sex at any time and denies both offences.

Prosecutor Virginia Cornwall said: "The Crown say what Mr Lantelli did was abuse his position of power, that he had created through their relationship.

"He abused his position of trust by showing her on a couple of occasions that he would do whatever he wanted to her and she had no choice."

Miss Cornwall said the woman took up salsa dancing to boost her confidence at a time when she was 'emotionally vulnerable'.

She said Lantelli 'flattered and encouraged' her and they had consensual sex three or four times after dance classes.

But when the woman discovered the former world salsa dance finalist was seeing another woman she wrote him a letter ending the relationship.

The jury was told that it was after this letter that he raped the woman during a private lesson at Capones in Dursley.

Giving evidence, the woman said: "He was extremely rough and he said that if he wanted to hurt me, he knew how to. I did not want it to happen."

She said she gave up salsa dancing after the rape and stopped seeing Lantelli.

But she claimed that months later she had to visit his home to collect some money he owed her and that was when the second rape took place.

When Lantelli was arrested, he gave a 'no comment' interview to detectives and read a prepared statement claiming he had never had any sexual contact with the woman.

Lantelli, of Keates Avenue, Podsmead, Gloucester, denies two counts of raping the woman between 2002 and 2003.

The trial at Winchester Crown Court continues.