KYOTO (Kyodo) Three Kyoto University seniors suspected of gang-raping two female students have denied that they forced the women to drink alcohol beforehand and are also claiming the sex was consensual, a lawyer for the suspects said Friday.

Lawyer Kazuyuki Hori said he met the three suspects, Jumpei Shirai, 22, Ryo Ikeguchi, 23, and Masahiro Kido, 22, at a Kyoto police station Thursday night.

The suspects, all seniors at the national university, were arrested Thursday on charges of gang-raping the two women, aged 19 and 20, after getting them drunk on Dec. 23.

The three claimed their acts were consensual, saying the women were conscious and able to talk despite being drunk, Hori told reporters.