First-Time Airbnb Host Says Guest Raped Her

"Citizen Of The World": Dellarovere

An Airbnb host was raped by her first-ever guest - a well-travelled graphic designer who describes himself as a ‘Citizen of the World’ - a jury were told.

The woman told the trial she became a host to make the most of the spare room in her Wandle Park, Croydon flat, but ended up barricading herself in her own bedroom and hiding her kitchen knives.

Diego Dellarovere, 43, of Holland Road, West Kensington describes himself as a ‘Free Spirit’ and tells his instagram fans: “Follow Me. I will take you around the world.”

He has pleaded not guilty to orally raping the woman; sexually assaulting her and assaulting her by penetration at her flat on May 7, 2021.

The complainant told police in a video-recorded interview played to Croydon Crown Court: “I was just going to report this to Airbnb and leave it at that. My initial thoughts were it was pointless because it was not going to go anywhere.

“Then my thought was that he is likely going to do that to someone again so I want his name to be flagged.”

She thought it strange that London-based Dellarovere needed a one-night Airbnb, but accepted the booking anyway and poured them both a glass of wine that evening.

Dellarovere also claims he is a Reiki Therapist, which uses the natural energy of the body.

“He mentioned massage at that point and was following me very close and came behind me and started rubbing my shoulders and I said: ’No thanks.’

“Then when I was sitting on the couch he was touching my legs and said: ‘Put on spa music and I can give you a massage.’

“He was saying: ‘I have oil. I will give you a massage.’

“I felt like he was just looking at me and not wanting just small talk and that’s when things turned,” she told the investigating officers.

“He came forward and pulled me in and started licking and kissing my neck. I pulled back and he was quite strongly pulling me in and I had to forcefully push him away.

“I felt a little bit frozen and he went in again, using a lot more strength and force.

“I was saying ‘no’ quite a lot and pushing and he stuck his tongue in my mouth and moved from there to my breast and his hand went down inside my leggings. 

“I said: ‘I don’t want this,’ and he said: ‘Come on,’ and started talking about that energy stuff we had discussed earlier.

“He put his hand into my trousers and into me and was quite roughly moving his fingers. It was not comfortable.

“He pulled down down his trousers and underwear and sat down,” continued the woman, adding Dellarovere forced her hand between his legs.

“He grabbed my head again, my hair and just pushed forward.”

She said she was raped by force and without consent and afterwards Dellarovere followed her around the kitchen trying to grab her.

“He started grabbing me again and I said: “You’re really p***ing me off now,” and he walked away, tidied himself up and went into the spare bedroom.

‘I went to my bedroom and he was texting me, asking: ‘Are you sure?’ and then texted me that he was sorry and asked if I was angry.

“I was scared because he did not get what he wanted and would go out and bring someone back.”

After getting her pet dog into her bedroom she struggled to convince her reluctant pet cat to follow. “Once they were in I pulled a unit across the door.”

She also hid her knife block, remarking: “I did not know what he was capable of doing.”

Dellarovere had her door keys and returned to the flat at 2.00am after “going for a walk” and spent the night in the spare room.

Before leaving the next morning he told the host: “I’ll leave a good review.”

She left a neutral Airbnb about Dellarovere, which seemed to annoy him, the court heard.

“He responded with an angry face emoji and there was some back and forth messaging in which he said it was consensual and using block capitals said I LIKED it.”

Dellarovere sent further WhatsApp messages to the woman, including: “You are repressed,” “You’re not a good person,” “You need to be more in your soul not your mind,” “Be an adult, not a baby,” and “I didn’t see any objections from you.”

Dellarovere then blocked the woman, but contacted her again when she reported to Airbnb her concerns about his stay, resulting in her ultimately blocking him.

Trial continues………….