A bounce at a Norton sports bar has been released on $5,000 bail after pleading not guilty to raping a Wheaton College student at the establishment. Paul Panaikas of Taunton is accused of raping the student at the Sportsway Café on Feb. 2.
Prosecutors said at his arraignment Wednesday that he pushed the woman into a closet and sexually assaulted her. Authorities say the woman’s friends banged on the closet door.
The 38-year-old Panaikas’ lawyer says his client is not guilty. The attorney says the Wheaton student “stalked” his client, and willingly followed him into the closet. The defense lawyer also questioned why the alleged victim did not undergo tests for rape at the hospital and why it took her a week to report the case to police.
