A Ballarat man has denied he sexually assaulted and raped a woman, and was armed with a firearm, during an incident at Redan two years ago.
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At the County Court in Ballarat on Thursday, Nicholas Morse pleaded not guilty to five charges relating to the alleged incident on July 15, 2017.
He stood in the dock while he was arraigned before the jury empanelment process started.
Morse pleaded not guilty to two counts of sexual assault and one count each of rape, intentionally applying force to the woman for her to take part in a sexual act and armed with a firearm with criminal intent.
The sexual assault charges states Morse touched the woman's breasts and buttocks through her clothing while thrusting against her, without her consent.
It is alleged he raped the woman by intentionally sexually penetrating her, the court was told.
He pleaded guilty to four weapons offences relating to July 27, 2017, including being a non-prohibited person possessing a handgun, dealing with a sawn-off shot gun suspected to be the proceeds of crime, and possessing knuckle dusters and cartridge ammunition.
Morse challenged three jurors during the empanelment process on Thursday afternoon and selected four women and eight men to hear the case.
Crown prosecutor Gary Hevey and defence barrister Shane Kennedy will give their opening address to the jury on Friday morning.
The prosecution's witnesses will then give evidence.
The trial is being held before Judge Howard Mason.
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