ALFRED — Prosecutors say Gary Traynham, 39, raped and assaulted his former girlfriend in the presence of their 2-year-old daughter and then called the man she was dating.

“Come look at your girlfriend now,” prosecutors allege Traynham said. Then, said York County Assistant District Attorney Thad West Tuesday, Traynham fled Maine with his daughter and spent the night in the New Hampshire woods. The flight triggered Maine’s first Amber Alert. A hunter spotted the pair in a pick-up truck on a woods road about 30 hours later and eventually convinced Traynham to surrender. The little girl was unharmed.

Traynham is on trial at York County Superior Court on four charges involving his former girlfriend: Gross sexual assault, aggravated assault, burglary and criminal restraint, all in connection with events that allegedly occurred Nov. 9, 2009. He is not charged with any crimes involving his daughter, Hailey.

The trial began with opening statements Tuesday.

While West painted a picture of a brutal man whom he said threw Lisa Gould across a room and then sexually assaulted her, Traynham’s attorney said he is a loving father to his daughter. Amy Fairfield said her client was worried about his former girlfriend controlling how much time he was able to spend with the little girl. Noting a lack of internal physical evidence during a rigorous examination of Gould at the hospital following the alleged  attack, Fairfield suggested a rape had not taken place.

The Journal Tribune does not routinely name alleged sexual assault victims. It is doing so in this case because Lisa Gould stepped forward in November 2009 to talk to reporters after she was reunited with her daughter.

Fairfield said Traynham and Gould split up Oct. 26. She said Gould filed for sole custody of Hailey Nov. 3, because she allegedly said she was concerned Traynham’s parents would try to take Hailey away from her.

Fairfield acknowledged her client went to Gould’s Sanford apartment Nov. 9, 2009 ”“ he was seen driving around her apartment building several times ”“ and, Fairfield said, at some point the two met up. Fairfield said Traynham confronted Gould and told her he wanted to see Hailey more often and wondered how they could separate amicably.

“She responded by digging, scratching and hitting him,” Fairfield told the seven man, seven woman jury and alternates.

“There was a confrontation. I won’t tell you my client is a church mouse. A better man should have walked away, he has some culpability,” said Fairfield.

West said Gould and her daughter, Hailey, went grocery shopping on the morning of Nov. 9 and that Traynham, who had been let inside the apartment complex by another tenant, grabbed Gould when they returned to their apartment. West said he started choking her and that at some point, she started to black out. When she regained consciousness, he was raping her, West told the jury. West noted that a bottle of Grey Goose vodka, cranberry juice and a knife had been placed on the bedside night table, suggesting the alleged attack was planned.

West said tests showed Traynham’s DNA was under Gould’s fingernails and her blood was on his shirt.

West said Gould was eventually able to “talk him down” and the three went outside. Traynham was holding his daughter. Gould mouthed “help me” to the apartment project maintenance man. He talked to Traynham and Gould ran to the apartment building where the landlord called 911 for help.

Traynham left with the couple’s daughter and was found 30 hours later by a Milton, N.H. hunter who convinced him to surrender. Traynham was taken into custody and Hailey was reunited with the rest of her family.

According to Fairfield, Traynham didn’t turn himself in earlier because he didn’t know how to do so.

She told the jury that Gould had no internal injuries.

“Please remember, things are not always as they seem,” Fairfield said.

The trial is expected to last several days.

— Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 or twells@journaltribune.com.