Samuel Cassidy: San Jose shooter appeared in court a decade ago accused of domestic violence and rape

The shooter who killed nine people at a railroad facility in San Jose, California, was accused of sexual assault and rape a decade ago.

A former girlfriend of Samuel Cassidy told a court her relationship with the 57-year-old, who fatally shot himself on Wednesday, ended after she refused to take part in a sex act, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The duo stopped dating on-and-off in 2009 following that incident.

She testified in court of the abuse she faced from the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) worker, after he filed a domestic violence restraining order against her, according to the Chronicle.

He was described as suffering from “mood swings as a result of bipolar disorder”, and became aggressive when his sexual desires were refused.

The former girlfriend told the court that “several times during the relationship he became intoxicated, enraged and forced himself on me sexually”.

“There were several occasions were I refused [sex],” she told the court, adding that Mr Cassidy would then restrain her by holding her arms down and “forcing his weight” on top of her.

Mr Cassidy’s former wife told the Associated Press that he frequently complained about VTA co-workers and wanted to kill them, “but I never believed him, and it never happened. Until now.”

Nine people, all of whom are thought to be VTA co-workers of Mr Cassidy, were killed in the incident on Wednesday, after he opened fire on them.

The substation manager killed himself soon after, when law enforcement arrived at the railroad facility for VTA.