A Sydney man accused of drugging a woman he had met over a "sugar daddy" website in an attempt to rape her told police he had a sleeping disorder and had consumed the sleeping drug himself.
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Prosecutors say Juswan Mokmargana, 46, met the Gold Coast woman, 25, on seekingarrangement.com in March 2016, and invited her to Canberra where he drugged her in an attempt to rape her.
Mr Mokmargana is now on trial in the ACT Supreme Court charged with the attempted rape, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Police were called to Civic bar King O'Malley's after 9pm on April 9, following reports from staff that a patron's drink had been spiked.
Lead investigator Constable James McGregor told the court he was taken to the manager's office where he watched surveillance footage of the alleged incident and identified the now accused.
On the footage the officer saw "the accused took something from his wallet, hold it over a drink and then put something into his pocket".
Mr Mokmargana was taken outside, informed of the allegation and searched. Constable McGregor told the court he found crushed up white substance wrapped in four pieces of paper in the man's possession; three in his shirt pocket, and one in his wallet.
Mr Mokmargana volunteered to officers that he had a sexual dysfunction.
Constable Emma Ireland told the court on Wednesday she had searched the man's room at the QT Hotel later that evening.
In his suitcase, she said, she found Viagra, condoms and two packets of the sleeping drug Stilnox, one of which was empty.
Mr Mokmargana was interviewed early the following morning.
"What can you tell me about the allegation", an officer is heard asking in footage of the interview played to the jury on Wednesday.
"It's a false allegation, sir," Mr Mokmargana said.
He said he had a sleeping disorder and had consumed Stilnox earlier that evening.
He explained he was in Canberra with the woman, who he had met over a "dating site".
"Is it a sexual relationship?" the officer asks.
"No, sir," he said. "We're just getting to know each other, that's all."
On cross-examination defence barrister James Stewart asked Constable Ireland why neither Mr Mokmargana's blood nor urine was drug tested that night. "That would be an oversight," she answered.
She also agreed police had not found any bottles of lubricant, nor restraints, when they searched his possessions that evening.
The trial continues.
