A teenager who told Supreme Court she watched a group of men rape and grope her 14-year-old friend has denied lying to the jury about the evening of the attack.

The witness had previously told the court that she didn’t know they were being taken to the home of one of the defendants, but a lawyer suggested she knew where they were going when they set out that night.

A total of four defendants — aged between 19 and 21 — have denied a charge of serious sexual assault on July 27 of last year. One of the defendants, aged 20, is additionally accused of supplying the victim with alcohol in order to use her for sexual purposes.

The victim told the court last week she was coerced by the men into drinking liquor in the back yard of one of the defendant’s homes. She said she was subsequently raped by two of the accused, while an unnamed male not before the court forced her to perform oral sex.

Another teenager, a friend of the victim, testified on Tuesday that she witnessed the victim having sex with one defendant and performing oral sex on two others while crying.

Neither the defendants, the victim or her friend who witnessed the incident can be identified for legal reasons.

As the trial continued in Supreme Court yesterday, defence lawyer Richard Horseman cross examined the witness about the weekend of the incident.

She acknowledged that she and the victim had been in communication with one of the defendants (“A”) via WhatsApp since July 26. During the conversation, she said they had discussed drinking alcohol at the defendant’s home.

The witness said she had drunk alcohol on a few prior occasions, and had discussed attending a different party on the evening of the incident where attendees were expected to bring their own alcohol.

Mr Horseman also challenged the witness’ assertion that she and the victim had set out to go swimming at Warwick Long Bay, suggesting they had actually planned to go to the defendant’s house.

He noted that the witness had told the court on Tuesday that the teens had bumped into her aunt while walking to a bus stop to be picked up. She said she had told her aunt they were going to the beach because she “didn’t want to ruin [the victim’s] plans”.

“You knew at that point,” Mr Horseman suggested. “I think you have to agree with me that you knew you were going to [defendant A’s] house.”

The witness agreed, but she denied lying to the jury by saying she thought the destination was Warwick Long Bay.

“I thought we were going to the beach because they said they would come with us,” she said.

The teenager told the court that she only realised they were going to the defendant’s home when they passed the Bermuda Institute. Asked why she didn’t challenge the driver about where they were going, she said: “I wasn’t thinking to say anything to him.”

The trial will continue today.